Addressing Rural-Urban Migration: 5000 Kayayei to be Trained by 2024 — Kofi Ofosu Nkansah
-By: Justice Torgbor
As part of the government’s effort to eradicate Kayayei from the major streets in the country and empower them with skills to become their bosses, Mr. Kofi Ofosu Nkansah, the Chief Executive Officer, CEO of the z Entrepreneurship and Innovation Programme (NEIP) has stated that 5000 Kayayei are expected to be trained and graduated from the Kayayei Empowerment Programme by the end of the year.
The program, which was an initiative of Vice President Alhaji Dr Mahamudu Bawumia, aims to equip young women with the skills and resources needed to overcome poverty and become economically independent.
Speaking at the graduation ceremony of the second cohort where six hundred (600) young women have successfully graduated from the Kayayei Skills Empowerment Programme, Mr. Kofi Ofosu Nkansah said, noted that the initiative aimed at empowering them with entrepreneurship and vocational skills.
The graduates, who were trained in six specialized skills areas, including soap and detergent making, baking, beads and jewellery making, décor, pedicure and manicure, and makeup artistry, received certificates and starter packs to help them start their businesses.
Mr Nkansah commended and encouraged them to use their new skills to shape their destiny and inspire others. The graduates received starter packs and a stipend of GH¢1,000 to start their businesses.
Indicating that plans are in place to continue after the commissioning of the Techiman and Kumasi hostels to train other Kayayei in Techiman and Kumasi respectively.
The trainees were housed in Ashiaman and Madina hostels, with each hostel taking 300 at a time. In all 1200 Kayayie trained and graduated from both the first and second cohorts.
Mr. Nkansah stressed that the training programs will be extended to other districts in the country where they will engage youths to identify relevant skills areas for their local economy.
“So for the hundreds and thousands of youths out there who have been asking about getting similar opportunities, the good news is that today, through His Excellency the Vice President’s initiative, we are extending the Empowerment Programme Skills Training to all the districts of the country”, he stated.
In teams of monitoring, Mr. Nkansah emphasized that the evaluation team would go to the field to visit trainees. “We have done so for the first cohort already, and very soon we are going to show some pictures and videos of our assistants who are directly from the first cohort, who are doing very well in the various skills areas. Some are producing bags, handfans, and other detergents already for sale, and we are helping them to get certification from the Food and Drug Authority.”
The graduation ceremony marked a significant milestone in the program’s efforts to empower young women in Ghana. With the skills and knowledge acquired, the 600 graduates are now better equipped to succeed in their chosen fields and make a positive impact in their communities.