NAPO fights youth unemployment …with free skills training

THE MEMBER of Parliament (MP) for Manhyia South, Dr. Matthew Opoku Prempeh aka ‘Napo’, has started a programme to help reduce the unemployment rate among the youth in his constituency.

Napo, the Energy Minister, has teamed up with the College of Beauty Art and Entrepreneurship (CBAE) in Accra, to roll out a project dubbed ‘CBAE Empowerment Project (CEP)-Manhyia South Training’.

As part of the educational programme, 80 selected trainees from the 6 electoral areas in the Manhyia South Constituency in Kumasi, would be given free skills training by a team of experts to help enhance their future.

The trainees, including males and females, would be undergoing a six-week intensive skills training after which Napo would resource them (beneficiaries) with startup equipment to enable them start their own businesses.

The beneficiaries would be trained in Makeup Artistry, Hair Technology and Fashion Design Technology.

Also, they would be tutored in Book Keeping, Customer Service and they would be supported to register their own businesses.

Nana Ama Tima Boakye, who represented Napo at the official opening ceremony of the ‘CBAE Empowerment Project (CEP)-Manhyia South Training’, said Napo would give free startup equipments to support the beneficiaries.

“After your training, Dr. Prempeh has decided to present free modern equipments to help you open your own businesses so that you can employ others and take good care of yourselves and your families”, she indicated.

Nana Tima stated that Napo cherishes Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET), whether it is formal or informal, because he (Napo) believes that skills-training has the potential of enhancing the lives of people.

The President CBAE, Rebecca Donkor, lauded the Manhyia South MP for his vision to roll out the six weeks intensive exercise to empower the people, saying that about 500 people have benefited from the programme nationwide.

The Kokosohene, Nana Kwaku Duah, said “Napo has invested a lot into the six-week intensive skills training programme so the beneficiaries should take it serious”, adding that Napo deserved to praises for his efforts.