Over 180 people graduate from Ghana Cares programme

One hundred and eighty-four (184) actors in the hospitality and tourism industry in the Upper West Region have graduated from the Ghana Cares Obatampa programme, a post-COVID-19 intervention by the government through the Ministry of Finance.

They had gone through intensive and practical-oriented skills training offered by the Tamale Technical University (TaTU), an implementing institution of the Ghana Cares Obatampa programme in northern Ghana.

The number consisted of 49 who graduated from Front Office Operation, 71 from Conferencing, Banqueting and Event Management, and 64 who graduated from Food Processing and Preparation.

Speaking at the graduation ceremony in Wa, Dr. Michael Akurugu Brigandi, the Chairman of the Project Implementation Committee at TaTU, said the training formed part of the government’s post-COVID-19 interventions to reduce the impact of the pandemic on businesses in the country.

He commended the government for being sensitive to the plight of the young people’s businesses following the outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic and its attendant consequences on businesses in the country.

He expressed hope that the skills the young people acquired would enhance their business operation, improve the quality of products and service delivery, and increase the profitability of their businesses.

“I have always said the certificate is like a taxi, it will carry you to wherever you are going but what will keep you there are your skills, knowledge, competence, and dedication.

I would, therefore, like to urge you all not to be content with the certificates you will be taking today but also the training that the government has spent money on to train you is something that has added value to your life and to your work as professionals in your various areas of operation,” Dr. Brigandi explained.

The Committee Chairman, who represented the Vice Chancellor of TaTU, urged the graduates to extend the knowledge and skills they had learned through the training to their apprentices and people within their circles.

Mr Abdul-Rahaman Mei-goro, the Personal Assistant to the Upper West Regional Minister, who represented the Minister, said the training was an indication of the President’s resilience in revitalising businesses in the country in the aftermath of the COVID-19 pandemic.

He said the graduates of the training were “living testimonies” of the government’s commitment to bringing businesses back to life from the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic.

UmuSalwa Mu-awia, who read the valedictory speech, thanked the government for the training they had gone through as the skills gained would impact their businesses meaningfully.

“We are ambassadors of change, custodians of wisdom imparted to us, and champions of a revitalised hospitality and tourism industry.

“Let us redefine standards, embrace diversity, and foster a culture of continuous learning,” she intimated.

Mu-awia encouraged her colleagues to strive to transform their “challenges into opportunities and dreams into tangible realities.