Prioritise technical, vocational training for more job creation - Omanhene tells government

Nana Osei Kofi Abiri, the Paramount Chief of Kenyasi Number One Traditional Area has appealed to government to prioritise vocational-technical education and training (VOTECH) for creativity among the youth to create jobs for themselves.

VOTECH, he emphsised was a solid foundation for innovative skills for job-creation, citing in the United States of America, Canada, the United Kingdom, Germany, the Netherlands, Italy and the other socio-economically advanced countries, that had been a major avenue for employment.

Nana Abiri made the appeal when he was speaking to Ghana News Agency (GNA) at Kenyasi Number One in the Asutifi North District of the Ahafo Region, saying placing high premium on VOTECH now was a guarantee for high unemployment reduction, if not eradication in the near future.

He suggested as a greater support for government to achieve that, effective collaboration by parents, guardians and teachers was necessary to encourage their children and wards to embrace the VIOTECH education and training opportunities, either formally or informally.

Nana Abiri, also the Vice-President of the Ahafo Regional House of Chiefs stated the role of religious leaders too was significantly required now to assist parents and guardians in moral training of the youth to refrain from indiscipline behaviours, other than that the government’s successful implementation of all VOTECH-related policies that were mostly youth-centred might not be achievable.

He regretted a number of the youth engaged in nation-wrecking activities like ‘galamsey’ (illegal mining) and illegal lumbering that were causing environmental degradation through pollution of river bodies and destruction of forest lands, and cybercrime and armed robbery because of the get-rich-quick mentality and joblessness.

Nana Abiri therefore suggested “if our children were brought up in a cultured-manner, they would become youth with disciplined mentality and understanding of the fact that life’s success is not rushing and indulging in unacceptable means for money but a gradual process”.