Nat’l Tymes News Desk
THE MEMBER of Parliament for Ayawaso East Constituency, Hon. Mohammed Ahmed Baba Jamal, has pledged a massive infrastructure development drive to complement ongoing physical development initiatives by the National Democratic Congress (NDC) government and accelerate the transformation of communities within the constituency, particularly Nima.
Hon. Baba Jamal made the commitment at a graduation ceremony for 54 young people who had undergone vocational and skills training in hairdressing, pedicure and manicure, make-up, and the tying of gele and other handicrafts.
The programme was organised by the NDC Constituency Women Organiser, Hajia Rukaya Adams, aka Mama Ruki, as part of efforts to empower young people with practical skills and create opportunities for sustainable livelihoods.
The latest graduation marks the second skills-training programme organised by Mama Ruki within the year.
The first batch, comprising 141 beneficiaries, graduated in June this year, bringing the total number of young people who have benefited from the two programmes to 195.
The training was facilitated by Madam Fauzia, proprietor of Black Beauty, a skills-training institution located at the Nima Roundabout, whose facilities were used to train the beneficiaries.
The initiative is in line with President John Dramani Mahama’s commitment to equipping Ghana’s youth with practical and employable skills to enable them to establish sustainable businesses, improve their livelihoods and contribute meaningfully to the local economy.
Unlike programmes that end with the acquisition of skills alone, the organisers have sought to provide the beneficiaries with the practical means to put their newly acquired skills to work.
As part of his support for the graduates, Hon. Baba Jamal pledged GH¢1,000 to each of the 54 beneficiaries as start-up support to enable them to begin or strengthen their businesses.
The MP also pledged GH¢5,000 each to Mama Ruki, the organiser of the programme, and Madam Fauzia of Black Beauty, in recognition of their respective contributions towards the successful implementation of the skills-training initiative.
Addressing the gathering, Hon. Baba Jamal said youth empowerment must be supported by deliberate investments in infrastructure and economic opportunities to create an enabling environment for residents to prosper.
He said his vision for Ayawaso East goes beyond individual interventions, stressing that the constituency requires a comprehensive infrastructure development agenda capable of transforming communities and improving the quality of life of residents.
Nima, he noted, would be an important part of the transformation agenda, particularly given its population, economic activities and strategic position within the constituency.
The MP further encouraged the beneficiaries to take advantage of the skills and support they had received by building viable businesses, serving their communities and, eventually, creating employment opportunities for others.
He commended Mama Ruki for taking the initiative to organise the training programme for a second time within the year and also praised Madam Fauzia and Black Beauty for providing the training, facilities and technical support required to train the participants.
Mama Ruki, for her part, expressed her commitment to continuing with initiatives aimed at empowering women and young people in the constituency, particularly those who may not have the opportunity to pursue formal education or secure conventional employment.
The graduation ceremony brought together community leaders, party executives, families, trainers and other stakeholders who witnessed the graduation and recognition of the beneficiaries.
The programme is expected to contribute to efforts to tackle youth unemployment and promote entrepreneurship by giving young people the skills and resources needed to become self-reliant.
With 193 young people benefiting from the two editions held this year, the initiative represents a growing grassroots effort to connect skills development with practical economic empowerment in Ayawaso East.
For the beneficiaries, the combination of skills training, start-up support and the promise of continued development presents an opportunity to turn acquired skills into sustainable livelihoods while contributing to the socio-economic transformation of Nima and the wider Ayawaso East Constituency.
Source: Nationaltymes.com
