President Akufo-Addo, has revealed that the YouStart initiative by government will make a significant dent in youth unemployment when successfully implemented by government.
According to him, under the YouStart programme, government, through the Ghana Enterprises Agency (GEA) and the National Entrepreneurship and Innovation Plan (NEIP), will direct financial and technical support towards young entrepreneurs in the country to develop commercially viable businesses, and create jobs for the youth.
President Akufo-Addo explained that government has set aside ten billion cedis (for the next three years, in support of young entrepreneurs to enable them create new businesses and expand existing ones.
Speaking at the investiture of a new Vice Chancellor of the SD Dombo University of Business and Integrated Development Studies, in Wa, the President indicated the programme will be a vehicle for supporting young entrepreneurs to gain access to capital, training, technical skills and mentoring.
“Successfully implemented, the YouStart programme will make a significant dent in youth unemployment, and enhance considerably social stability and progress. This University should be at the forefront of critically examining this initiative, and making proposals to enhance its implementation”.
President Akufo-Addo
President Akufo-Addo stated that despite the difficulties confronting Government, the economy is experiencing a positive but slow growth. He revealed that the pursuit of strong economic growth and enhanced domestic revenue mobilisation will help the economy rebound faster from the devastating effects of the COVID-19 pandemic.
“Our growth performance compares very favourably with the IMF growth estimate of 3.7% for sub-Saharan Africa, and 3.6% for ECOWAS countries. We are still on course in our fiscal consolidation agenda. The Ghana Revenue Authority exceeded its 2021 tax revenue target, and we are confident we will achieve, if not surpass, the eighty-billion-cedi (GH¢80 billion) target for this year”.
President Akufo-Addo
The combination of strong growth and domestic revenue mobilisation, President Akufo-Addo emphasized, will enable government to meet its fiscal deficit target for 2022 and reduce the debt-to-GDP ratio. He noted that this will provide the fiscal space to continue to implement programmes such as our flagship programmes like the Free SHS policy, the One-District-One-Factory initiative and the Programme for Planting for Food and Jobs.
Appointment of New VC and Registrar
Congratulating Professor Philip Duku Osei and Mr. Job Asante on their appointment as Vice Chancellor and Registrar, respectively, of the SD Dombo University of Business and Integrated Development Studies, President Akufo-Addo expressed confidence that the two persons are “capable of laying a strong foundation for the rapid take-off of this University”.
“The Vice Chancellor’s induction into office is a mark of the trust that the first-ever Governing Council of the University has reposed in him, and I am confident that this trust will not be broken. His wealth of experience, with decades of service, makes him an appropriate person for this all-important assignment. I want to assure him that my government will help ensure that the University fulfils its mandate”.
President Akufo-Addo
President Akufo-Addo indicated that the University will produce graduates, who are moulded to take on the opportunities and possibilities for higher achievement, through creativity, entrepreneurship and innovation to help generate prosperity for the masses of Ghanaians.
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