Takoradi-Ghana, Sept 27, GNA – Mr. Kwabena Okyere Darko-Mensah, the Western Regional Minister has charged the 300-youth equipped with supplemental livelihoods skills to work with ethics, values and good morals that will ensure sustained customer satisfaction and interest in their brands.
The beneficiaries are drawn from coastal communities in the Western, Central, Greater Accra and Volta regions.
“Be ambitious to meet the needs of customers…respect your customers, keep to agreed time and promote design precision and proper finishing in your projects to win the hearts of existing and new clients as you dream to create decent wealth for yourself”.
The Western Regional Minister was advising the graduating class of the first cohort of the Supplemental livelihoods for Youth in Fisheries Programme, pioneered by the USAID under the fisheries Recovery project.
The project sought to diversify trade, particularly among the youth within the coastal belt of the country to reduce overdependence on marine resources and ensure Sustainable Ocean economy.
It would also help in addressing challenges in the sector including illegal fishing and poverty that threatened the livelihoods and food security of the estimated three million who depended heavily on the sector for economic and social well-being.
The Skills development projects is being spearheaded by the Ministry of Fisheries and Aquaculture Development, the Opportunity Industrialization Centre, Ghana (OICG) and USAID providing the funds.
Ms. Grace Lang, the Deputy Mission Director, USAID said the Mission would work in alignment with the government of Ghana’s skills development initiatives to promote the supplemental livelihoods Programme which provided technical and vocational education for coastal youth between 15 and 35 years.
She said the project would reduce vulnerabilities associated with the steep decline in fish stocks and catches.
The trainees, she noted, were also trained in financial literacy, entrepreneurship and resourced with start-up kits to encourage success during and after their apprenticeship.
Mr. Moses Anim, the Deputy Minister for Fisheries and Aquaculture Development lauded the remarkable resilience, creativity, and dedication in learning new skills, adding, “we are confident that you will serve as role models and ambassadors for the Programme”.
He said the Fisheries sector recovery project would eventually enhance the dignity, well-being, and resilience of fisherfolks and coastal communities.
Mr. Anim reminded them of the need to support the Ministry in enforcing all Fisheries laws and regulations to achieve Industry sector Sustainability.
The Country Director of the OICG, Mr. Frank Agyare, said the various apprenticeships were accompanied by segmented counselling sessions for all the 300 beneficiaries for informed living.
He urged them to apply the knowledge, by mentoring new people and becoming of change in their respective communities.
