The Ga-Dangme Youth Development Fund was launched by Accra Mayor Hon. Michael Kpakpo Allotey, who also announced a GH¢20,000 seed grant to empower youth in the capital and Ga State.
The Mayor characterized the fund as a daring move towards establishing long-term prospects for Ga youth through job creation, skill development, and scholarships during the official launch of the Ga Youth Forum at the John Wesley Methodist Church Hall in Palladium.
He emphasized that the program was founded on his goal of investing in the next generation in order to “make Accra and the Ga State rise again.”
He said that the fund will offer a methodical way to raise money to close the gaps in entrepreneurship, employment, and education among Ga youth.
“There is a scholarship scheme from which every school in the city will benefit from but 30% of the total scholarships will be reserved specifically for Ga youth,” he said, adding that this would create opportunities for more Ga professionals, including attorneys, doctors, nurses, and artisans.
Additionally, he announced intentions to create more than 1,000 employment, emphasizing training programs, TVET possibilities, and entrepreneurship support as major areas of concentration.
“One of the best ways to reduce teenage pregnancy in the Ga community was to keep our girls in school, stressing that with scholarships and TVET training, girls would be given a brighter future,” he stated
The Mayor emphasized that the project is a reflection of his own journey and dedication to the Ga State, recalling how he followed his dream in spite of obstacles and encouraging the young people to be resilient, honest, and faithful in their pursuit of their goals.
Speaking to the audience, Malik Basintale, the CEO of the Youth Employment Agency (YEA), praised the organizers for starting a historic initiative that might be a template for other ethnic groups in Ghana and promised assistance for the Ga Youth Forum.
He said that 200 spots had been set aside for Ga youngsters out of 2,000 recipients nationwide for the “Waste to Wealth Project,” which teaches young people how to turn coconut husks into exportable goods like charcoal.
He encouraged young people to pursue technical and vocational skills, citing the Philippines’ exporting of skilled labor as a means of fostering national development.
According to CEO Basintale, the Ga area is “blessed and fertile,” and the Ga youth have the potential to play a key role in Ghana’s economic revolution if given the right education and support.
Through an employment campaign called McDan Jobs, Dr. Daniel McKorley, Chairman of the McDan Group, promised to create 10,000 jobs for young people in the Ga area.
He clarified that the program’s goal is to provide young people in the area without jobs with real chances rather than just empty words.
“What are we doing for ourselves?” is a topic that has become overly prevalent in public discourse, Dr. McKorley remarked, emphasizing that the time is now for real action and concrete initiatives that would improve livelihoods and provide a better future for the people.
Traditional leaders, government representatives, youth organizations, and dignitaries, including Apostle Abraham Lamptey, Head Pastor, House of Worship International, Dr. Ishmael Nii Amanor Dodoo, Head of Innovative Finance, Partnership and Markets, 24 Hour Economy, Office of the President, Nae Wulomo, and Nuumo Akwaa Mensah III, were present at the launch, which had as its theme “Facing the Future; The Power of You.”
The presentation concluded with an appeal for cooperation, adherence to cultural traditions, and teamwork in creating a stronger Ghana, a thriving Accra, and a resilient Ga State.
Source: newsthemegh.com