Youth to boost export of agriculture produce

The Ghana Export Promotion Authority (GEPA) in collaboration with the Youth Employment Agency (YEA) has launched a Youth in Export Programme (YIEP) to encourage the youth to venture into the export trade.

This initiative seeks to promote employment among graduates of the various tertiary institutions in the country to help reduce graduate unemployment.

Mr George Adomako, the Eastern Regional Director of GEPA disclosed this in an interview with the Ghana News Agency (GNA) at Koforidua in the Eastern Region.

He said the Authority was currently going through the applications of those who responded to the initiative and those who would be selected would have to go through a training process.

Mr Adomako said as part of the training, the applicants would be assigned to some selected experienced and successful exporters.

He explained that the trainees are expected to understudy the seasoned exporters to enable them become successful exporters in future.

Mr Adomako said it was expected that with the introduction of young people into the export trade, it could help boost the export of the country in terms of products and volumes.

He said the initiative was also expected to help the youth to gradually replace the current crop of exporters many of whom have advanced in age.

Mr Adomako explained that under the YIEP, there would be another programme called Youth in Export Competition (YEC).

He said under the YEC, graduates of the tertiary institutions would be required to write proposals on how to add value to the country’s agriculture produce for export.

Mr Adomako said the good proposals among the lot would be presented, selected and the writers of the selected proposals would be supported to implement their proposals.

Mr Adomako urged the graduates of the tertiary institutions to take advantage of the initiatives to enter into the export business to create wealth for themselves and the country.