News
153 apprentices in Tarkwa Nsuaem Municipality receive start-up kits
Kosi Yankey Ayeh
153 apprentices, who have successfully completed training in various vocations in the Tarkwa Nsuaem Municipality, have received start-up kits to establish their own businesses.
The beneficiaries were given sewing machines, hair dryers, spraying and welding machines, and a certificate.
Distributing the start-up kits to the beneficiaries at a graduation ceremony in Ahwetieso, Mrs Kosi Yankey-Ayeh, Chief Executive Officer of the Ghana Enterprises Agency (GEA), in a speech read on her behalf said, these aspiring entrepreneurs have honed valuable skills in hairdressing, baking and confectionery, sewing and welding skills that would empower them to transform their passion into sustainable enterprises.
She encouraged them to use the skills and resources they have gained to make a meaningful impact in their communities and added that, they should not hesitate to reach out to their Business Advisory Centre’s whenever they had challenges.
Mrs Yankey-Ayeh said the Apprenticeship Programme, a vital component of the Business in Box Project, was a collaborative initiative between the GEA and Mastercard Foundation.
She said the government of Ghana, remained steadfast in its commitment to providing dignified and sustainable employment opportunities for the youth.
According to her, since 2017, the GEA had facilitated the creation of over 109, 471 jobs, with an impressive 67 per cent benefiting women.
Mr George Mireku Duker, Member of Parliament for the Tarkwa Nsuaem Constituency and the Deputy Minister of Lands and Natural Resources, observed that it was better to equip the youth who were eager to work than to give them a token.
The laudable programme, he said, must be replicated everywhere for the teeming youth, who were struggling to get jobs, so they could establish themselves for a better future.
Mr Duker stated that he had distributed equipment to support thousands of youths in his constituency and was therefore happy that the government was also committed to getting this programme done.
Mr Benjamin Kessie, Municipal Chief Executive (MCE) for Tarkwa Nsuaem Assembly said, through the programme 250,000 jobs would be created within four years by the implementers, who were on course.
He expressed gratitude to the President, Vice President, and the MP for initiating the programme to aid the youth, adding that the MP from day one had worked so hard to ensure that the youth in his constituency got a fair share of these equipment.
News
Craze for x’mas shopping: Crowded markets, low patronage
Vendors of food and other wares associated with the Christmas celebration have expressed surprise at the low patronage despite the increased number of visitors to some of the major markets across the capital.
Four days to the celebration(Christmas), the markets are filled with various products ranging from food, clothing, livestock and many other stuff, but according to the vendors, patrons are doing more ‘window’ shopping.
The Spectator on visits to some of the markets in the capital, notably the Odawna, Makola, Accra Central Business District, New Town and others made similar observations as shoppers crowd them but did little in terms of purchases.
The paper also observed that majority of vendors, originally selling other wares have switched to product related to the festive season.
What it means is that there are a lot more clothes, food and vegetables, livestock and poultry, toys, firecrackers, drinks of different types and many others on display.
The markets have also stretched to the pedestrian pavement, leaving very narrow spaces for commuters to move about freely.
That, in addition to a few of the female vendors dressed in coloured attires to reflect the occasion, has heightened the euphoria, leaving the low sales as the only headache for the vendors.
Speaking with this paper, they sounded very optimistic, believing that sales would improve in the last few days to the yuletide.
According to them, there was the opportunity to sell beyond Christmas as the New Year celebration offers similar opportunity to trade the same wares.
They urged patrons to throng the markets to shop since prices were quite moderate and products affordable for all.
News
Retirement service for Elder John Ackom-Asante,3 others
Retired Deputy Editor of The Spectator, Elder John Ackom-Asante, was last Sunday honoured by the Church of Pentecost Windy Hills District in Kasoa in the Central Region, with a retirement thanksgiving service, after serving for 26 year as an Elder of the church.
He was honoured with a citation and certificate of service along with three other elders who served in the capacity for various years.
Elder Ackom-Asante was baptised at the Darkuman Central Assembly in 1979 and ordained as an Elder in 1997.
The citation read “Your selfless service, zeal, willingness to relate wholeheartedly and your desire to effect change has gone a long way to shape the lives of many people in the church and the nation over the 26 years of your dedication to the service of the Lord.”
Elder Ackom- Asante held many positions at the Darkuman Central Assembly, Obuasi in the Ashanti Region and Tema, serving in various capacities as youth and evangelism ministry leader and marriage counsellor.
He was the founding member of the Darkuman Christian Fellowship, a member of the Greater Accra Christian Fellowship; member of Bible Society of Ghana; founding member Obuasi Chapter Full Gospel Businessmen Fellowship International and founding member of New Times Corporation Christian Fellowship and Chaplain, Methodist University Tema Campus 2009- 2010.
As a professional journalist, Elder Ackom-Asante combined effectively and efficiently his duty as a member and elder of the church and the demands of his profession, with admiration from the church, kith and kin, till his retirement on December
From Alhaji Salifu Abdul-Rahaman, Kasoa
