Accra-Ghana, Nov. 28, GNA – The National Alternative Employment and Livelihoods Programme(NAELP) Tuesday unveiled the Entrepreneurship Jobs for Ghanaian Youth in Mining Regions dubbed: “E-Jobs4All” programme for sustainable livelihoods.
The initiative would train 10,000 Ghanaian youth in mining regions in entrepreneurship, mentorship and innovation programmes with essential skills, tools and financial resources to establish their own businesses.
The E-Jobs4All initiative represents a significant partnership between the NAELP, Community and Entrepreneurial Development Initiative (CEDI Ghana), Dumin-Deshpande Queen’s Innovation Centre(DDQIC) at Queen’s University, Canada, and Leadogo Incorporated, Canada.
It forms part of the NAELP’s core mandate of promoting sustainable and resilient businesses within the mining communities across the country.
Mr Samuel Abu Jinapor, the Minister of Lands and Natural Resources, who launched the E-Jobs4All programme in Accra, said it would empower the youth in the mining regions with employable skills to be financially self-reliant.
“This transformative initiative is not just a slogan. It is a beacon of hope, catalyst for change and a commendable approach to addressing one of the nation’s challenging issues of our time.
“It will empower our youth, foster innovation and unleash the potential of our mining communities,” the Minister stated.
The programme, he said, showed the Akufo-Addo-led government’s unwavering commitment to providing alternative livelihoods for the Ghanaian youth, particularly those in the mining communities.
The Minister highlighted various programmes the Government had implemented since 2017 to curb the menace of illegal mining, popularly known as “galamsey” across the country.
Those programmes included declaration of river bodies as red zones for mining, the ban on reconnaissance license for mineral exploration in forest reserves, acquisition of speed boats for patrolling river bodies, supply of mercury-free equipment for gold processing, rolling out of Community Mining Schemes and Operation Halt II by personnel of the Ghana Armed Forces.
These measures, Mr Jinapor explained were intended to halt illegal small-scale mining and ensure responsible and sustainable mining practices in Ghana.
The mining industry, the Minister said, continued to be the bulwark of the national economy, contributing nine per cent of the country’s gross domestic product (GDP).
Statistics from the Bank of Ghana indicated that as of August this year, gold alone had contributed $4.67 billion in export, representing 43.4 percent of the country’s total export earnings.
Dr Louise Carol Serwaa Donkor, the National Coordinator of NAELP, speaking at launch said the programme would equip the youth with entrepreneurial talents essential skills required to thrive in the world of entrepreneurship.
Through E-Job4All, beneficiaries would gain access to a wealth of opportunities, including entrepreneurship and innovative training provided by the prestigious Dunin-Deshpande Queen’s Innovation Centre at the Queen’s University in Canada, she said.
Additionally, they would receive invaluable advisory services from seasoned experts within the influential Leadogo Incorporated Limited.
The E-Job4All addresses the NAELP’s mandate of promoting sustainable and resilient businesses within mining communities, she added.
“By fostering the growth of existing businesses, we create an environment that can absorb the talents and ambitions of unemployed youth, actively contributing to the development of their respective regions,” Dr Serwaa Donkor stated.
The beneficiary regions include Ashanti, Western, Western North, Eastern, Ahafo, Central, Savannah and Upper East.
Professor Greg Bavington, the Executive Director, Queens University, DDQIC, Canada, via video presentation said the E-Jobs4All programme had been adopted in many countries across the world including Canada and many African countries to address the problem of illegal gold mining.
He was optimistic that the programme would empower the youth in the mining regions in Ghana with entrepreneurial skills and tools to set up their own enterprises and become financially independent.
Online platform for application is open from now till December 17, 2023, therefore, interested youth from mining regions including students, startups and fresh graduates could apply for the E-Jobs4All programme via this website: www.naelp.gov.gh or email: info@naelp.gov.gh
