Mr. Dela Gadzanku, the Eastern, Oti, and Volta Region Chairman of the Association of Ghana Industries (AGI) has disclosed that the collaboration between the AGI and Ho Node Hub would go a long way to encourage and establish an enabling environment to assist the youth of the Volta Region.
In the signed Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) between the AGI and Ho Node Hub, a digital tech lab, it has been disclosed that the agreement is tailored towards developing young entrepreneurs in the Volta Region going forward, he stated.
“We are looking forward to collaborating with the Ho Node Hub. The AGI is excited to be part of and secure a win-win solution. We hope that out of this MOU will come a lasting partnership and jobs for our people. We are happy to open the Ho Node Hub to the business community”.
Mr. Dela Gadzanku
The Chairman further disclosed that the AGI has identified numerous business opportunities for the youth in the Region, and his outfit is prepared to address the challenges. He also revealed that the Government of Ghana (GoG) is determined to reduce the mounting burden on young people by enacting accommodative policies to create an ideal environment for young entrepreneurs.
Meanwhile, the Chairman revealed that in the AGI’s quest to harness the potential of the youth, it would use the upcoming trade and investment fair to encourage the youth to engage in trade, ICT, and Tourism activities.
He further indicated that the AGI would provide the needed support for the pitching festival. It will also channel viable business plans and proposals into job creation, he revealed.
Also, Mr. Courage Asase, the Managing Director of the Ho Node Hub, disclosed that the AGI has been identified as a partner for youth development. He further revealed that the agreement between his outfit and AGI is on a one-year renewable basis.
“We have formalized a working relationship that is geared towards the interest of young people in the Volta Region”.
Mr. Courage Asase
Addressing unemployment in Ghana
The paper published by the World Bank on “Youth Employment Programs in Ghana”, revealed that “Ghana’s youth employment challenge is vast and requires a multifaceted, deliberate, and consistent response.
“The government has invested heavily in tackling this challenge, implementing a number of programs aimed at providing skills training and creating new jobs. The private sector has also made significant contributions.
World Bank
“However, unemployment and underemployment remain a major problem, and the challenges will only intensify with a projected surge in the country’s youth population over the next decade”.
World Bank
The World Bank made suggestions that the government and stakeholders should channel their resources into skill training, promoting agribusiness, and focus on other high-yielding areas such as construction, sports, and support services among others.
“A focus on these areas can contribute to increasing the productivity of agricultural jobs, grow off-farm self-employment, create more wage jobs, and facilitate the geographical mobility of workers to maximize the benefits of rapid urbanization”.
World Bank
However, Mr. Gadzanku further disclosed that the Volta Region was emerging as a hotspot for industrial investment and that the AGI would support the media in marketing the potential.
The Volta Region continues to receive support from stakeholders. An example is the flagship aquaculture project that has been initiated and implemented through the collaboration between the Youth Employment Agency (YEA) and Ghana Armed Forces (GAF).
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