Young poultry entrepreneurs to receive GH¢20,000 funding - Mustapha Ussif

Executive Director of Ghana National Service Scheme, Mustapha Ussif has noted that, 20 service personnel who were enrolled on the Poultry Entrepreneurship training this year will each receive an amount of GH¢20,000 to start up their own poultry farms.

He further explained that, though the funding is not free, it is to help these young entrepreneurs to establish their dreams in the industrial world.

Mr Ussif added that the sum of money which is being given to each of the twenty entrepreneurs as a micro-support is in collaboration with Microfinance and Small Loans Centres (MASLOC).

From Monday, June 3, 2019 to June 9, 2019, 20 Service personnel were enrolled onto the Poultry Entrepreneurship training to be equipped with realistic skills which would help them in their line of work.

At the end of the one-week programme, these young entrepreneurs have been tasked to pitch business ideas through a presentation to stakeholders including, MASLOC, NBSSI, Venture Capital, NYA, NEIP among others after which they will receive ¢20,000 startup funding each.

Addressing the media during the closing ceremony of the NSS Poultry Entrepreneurship training in Accra, he stated that, he expects each poultry farmer to employ at least 50 people who work within the value chain to help expand poultry farming in the country.

In Ghana, statistics show that, only 10% of personnel secure jobs after their national service hence, the aim of this training is to help eradicate the high level of unemployment in the country which is becoming worrying, Mustapha Ussif said.

He added that, “We at the National Service are now focused on creating entrepreneurs out of the large number of service personnel that come to us. We want them to become job creators and not to be moving from one office to another looking for non-existent jobs”.

He encouraged the Ghanaian youth to venture into entrepreneurship which in turn would help their families and friends who are employed.

Stakeholders present averred that they are ready to invest in poultry production because they believe this act is a substitute of the importation of poultry into the country.