Akatsi North District in the Volta Region has received a boost in youth skills development, as 72 young apprentices and their master craftsmen were provided with training equipment under the government’s National Apprenticeship Programme.
The initiative aims to equip young people with employable skills while strengthening the capacity of local artisans who provide hands-on vocational training. Beneficiaries, drawn from communities across the district, are undergoing training in trades such as dressmaking, hairdressing, and barbering.
Speaking to Adom News correspondent Odehyeba Owusu after a presentation ceremony, Bless Katanani, the District Chief Executive (DCE) for Akatsi North, said the programme is part of broader efforts to reduce youth unemployment and promote self-reliance through skills acquisition.
He emphasized that providing modern tools and equipment will improve the quality of training and boost productivity once apprentices complete their programmes.
He encouraged the beneficiaries to take full advantage of the opportunity, noting that the equipment represents an investment in their future, and assured that the institution will monitor their progress.
Johnson Korbla Samlafo, Volta Regional Coordinator for the National Apprenticeship Programme, told Adom News that the first batch of the initiative targets 14,000 beneficiaries nationwide, with plans to expand to 100,000 youth in the second phase.
He added that, in addition to training equipment, beneficiaries will receive monthly mobile money stipends to support transportation as they learn their respective trades under master craftsmen.
He urged the apprentices to remain disciplined, committed, and focused throughout the training period.
Master craftsmen mentoring the trainees also received equipment to support their work, ensuring training is conducted under improved and standardized conditions. Some artisans expressed gratitude, describing the intervention as timely support that would allow them to train apprentices more effectively and expand their workshops.
Beneficiaries shared their excitement, saying the support would ease the financial burden of acquiring tools and help them build sustainable livelihoods after graduation.
The National Apprenticeship Programme continues to serve as a key strategy in promoting technical and vocational education across the country, particularly in rural districts where access to formal employment opportunities remains limited.
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