Ghana govt to invest GHC16m to train youth in textiles and apparel industry

Training to be provided to the first batch of 2,000 recruits from the Youth Employment Agency (YEA) in the textile and apparel industry, for which the Ghana government will be investing GhC16 million, said the Minister of Employment, Mr. Haruna Iddrisu.

Mr. Iddrisu said that it was the intention of the government to roll out 5,000 persons, mainly unskilled people, and these would include ‘kayayei’ among others.

This is being done as a tripartite collaboration among the Ministry of Gender and Social Protection; the Ministry of Employment and Labour Relations and other textile and apparel companies that will employ 3,000 youth.

He said that the move formed part of the President’s quest to transform the textile and apparel sector because he identifies the apparel and textile sector as a catalyst to spearhead his industrial revolution.

Of the 5,000 to be absorbed, he said that they expect Dignity to take about 2,000 who will be YEA interns to be trained into skilled people.

The African Growth and Opportunity Act (AGOA) had been renewed for another 10 years. This creates further opportunities for the people who want to export into the United States market to do so unhindered.

Companies in the country are called to take advantage of the extension period to export into the American market.