Dormaa Assembly to assist artisans

Dormaa Ahenkro (B/A) Feb. 12 GNA - The Dormaa District is ready to help address problems that confront individuals and groups aspiring to become self-employed, Mr. Narh Adjei, District Co-ordinating Director said at the weekend.

He said the measure was to help boost the government's policy on the private sector as the nation's engine of growth and economic prosperity.

Mr. Adjei was addressing a graduation ceremony during which 60 newly trained beauticians who had successfully completed their apprenticeship and passed the National Vocational Training Institute Grade 11 examinations were presented with certificates.

He urged members of the Dormaa District branch of the Ghana Hairdressers and Beauticians Association (GHABA) to form co-operative groups to be able to access financial and logistic assistance from the government and non-governmental organisations.

The Co-ordinating director advised groups and individuals interested in setting up their own businesses to contact the Business Advisory Centre and urged business people to be law-abiding and to pay their taxes.

Mrs. Agnes Owusu Serwaa, Dormaa District President of GHABA noted that the certificates presented to the trainees would not only enhance their professional status but would also boost their eligibility for employment.

She called on people to discard the notion that hairdressing and dressmaking were the preserves of the academically weak and school dropouts, saying these were not the only determinants for people's inability to attain higher academic laurels.

The GHABA President said the Dormaa District office of the Non-Formal Education Division of the Ministry of Education was taking members of the Association through regular literacy classes in mathematics and everyday English.

Mrs. Serwaa advised the youth to avoid promiscuity and other immoral activities that had the potential to expose them to HIV/AIDS. She appealed to the District Assembly, NGOs and philanthropists to assist the branch to train JSS graduates who could not gain admission into Senior Secondary Schools.