3,000 Youth Recruited Under Digital Marketing Program – Nana Addo

President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo has announced that 3,000 unemployed youth have been recruited under the Digital Marketing and Entrepreneurship programme, which has been launched at the Accra Digital Centre.

Addressing Parliament in his State of the Nations Address today [Thursday], the President said, “we have launched the Digital Marketing and Entrepreneurship Programme at the Accra Digital Centre. This programme, with ten regional training centres, has already recruited 3,000 young, unemployed people, to undergo a 3-month all-expenses-paid training.”

According to him, the three-month all-expense paid training program has Ecobank Ghana on board to take in all the 3000 recruits.

“I am happy to announce that Ecobank Ghana Ltd has already offered to engage all 3,000 young people, after the training programme. This is just the tip of the iceberg,” he said.

He reiterated that the subject of job creation is at the topmost of his list, and that his government has put in place structures to help small and medium scale enterprises and entrepreneurs with the availability of cheaper credit which gives better prospect for jobs.

He also added that, he is determined to build the future of the country’s youth, and that his government has shown such commitment through the Nation Builders Corps initiative which will take off next month, with a plan to employ 100,000 youth to assist in public sector service delivery.

“As a start, this government has established the Nation builders Corps to employ 100,000 young persons in 2018 alone, to assist in public sector delivery in health, education agriculture sanitation and the revenue collection department of the Ghana Revenue Authority,” he said.

‘100, 000 jobs in 2018’

Dr Bawumia reiterated government’s plans to create jobs for 100, 000 unemployed graduates in 2018 through the Nation Builders Corps initiative.

The programme was announced as a government initiative in the 2018 budget to provide the jobs at a cost of GHc 600 million.

The programme has been scrutinized by the Minority in Parliament, and  Policy think tank, Imani Africa, who have cited a duplication of roles with the already existing Youth Employment Programme.

However, the Vice President believes that the initiative is needed.

“Employment is a major problem. There are a lot of vacancies [for unemployed graduates] that we have whether it’s teaching or nursing,” he said.

‘Foundation laid for jobs’

President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo said in December that, the government has put structures in place to ensure that the country’s unemployment challenges are addressed.

According to Nana Addo, despite inheriting an economy in dire straits, the New Patriotic Party (NPP) administration has worked assiduously towards ensuring that job opportunities are created for Ghanaians.

“We’ve had important challenges; Invincible and Delta Forces and the tensions at the grassroots of the party over jobs. I appreciate very much the anxiety over jobs. What I’m saying is that the foundation has been laid for jobs. It has not been easy because we inherited a bankrupt economy, but because of the ingenuity of the people I’m working with, we’ve been able to lay a good foundation,” the President said.

“Let us remain united and confident, we are on the right path and soon it will be obvious to everybody. Our race is not a sprint, it is a cross-country, it is a marathon race and we are going to win at the end, not just at the beginning.”

Source: Citifmonline