Associations of Apprenticeship in Sewing and Barbering have received 100 sewing machines and 300 barbering clippers respectively as part of the Youth Employment Agency (YEA) artisans support project.
Following a passionate appeal by the Associations to the CEO of YEA, Lawyer Justin Kodua Frimpong for support, a short ceremony was held in Agona Swedru to hand over the equipment to members in the Central Region. A similar one was held in Kumasi for the Ashanti Regional chapters.
Director of Administration at the Youth Employment Agency, Mr. Chris Arthur on behalf of the Chief Executive Officer of YEA, noted that the Agency has established Artisan Directorate to support artisans with set-up tools and equipment to establish their businesses after apprenticeship.
“YEA will continue to support in these areas. We’ve received several of these requests and will do our best to help them,” he stated.
He asked the general public and other corporate organizations to support YEA with items such as sewing machines and other tools to support the Artisan Directorate of the Agency.
According to Mr. Chris Arthur, YEA was supporting Association of Garages, Tailors, Dressmakers, Hairdressers, Beauticians, Masons and artisans who have gone through Vocational Apprenticeship.
“It is solely for those who have gone through the apprenticeship programme and find it extremely difficult to open their own shops due to one reason or the other,” he explained.
“Many a time, graduate apprentices failed to put skills and knowledge acquired during apprenticeship into practice and that’s why Artisan Directorate was established to cushion them.”
Mr. Chris Arthur disclosed that the president, Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo through Connecting the Youth to Job Opportunities directed Youth Employment Agency to create more jobs for the Youth.
Minister for Gender, Children Social Protection who is also the Member of Parliament for Agona West Constituency, Mrs. Cynthia Morrison lauded President Akufo-Addo for his foresight in establishing Youth Employment Agency to create Jobs for the teeming unemployed Youth.
“I’m extremely happy that YEA is up to its tasks in creating job opportunities for people who found it difficult to make ends meet. I would like to appeal to beneficiaries to ensure that they use the tools and equipment to improve their economic growth and to make them self-sufficient,” she said.
Cynthia Morrison pledged to support YEA in all its programmes and activities in the Agona West Municipality.
Mr. Seth Twumasi, the Ashanti Regional Director who presented the items on behalf of the Agency to members in the Ashanti Region on Wednesday, 26th August, 2020 reiterated that the gesture aims at reducing challenges facing the apprentices after their graduation.
“Most at times some of these apprentices end up on the streets hawking even after their training in various skills due to lack of space and start up kits to start their own work. That is why it’s important to us at YEA to support them.”
