Former Chainsaw Operator learns a trade

Sunyani (B/A) July 1, GNA- Mr Joseph Anin Yeboah, 44, a former chainsaw operator at Acherensua, in the Brong Ahafo Region, was among 103 graduates of the Regional Integrated Community Centre for Employable Skills (ICCES) who underwent three years skill training.

Mr Yeboah told the Ghana News Agency, in an interview, that he abandoned the chainsaw business following persistent advice against the practice and its negative effect on the environment. "I realized it was better for me to learn a trade than to pursue illegitimate means of acquiring wealth."

Another beneficiary of the course,Ms Amina Alhassan, an 18 year-old school drop-out and a petty trader in Sunyani, said she decided to avail herself of skill training at the ICCES, to facilitate her chances of earning a decent living.

Ms Amina said she completed Junior Secondary School two years ago, but due to the untimely death of her father she could not further her education.

"I therefore took to selling groundnuts and oranges but after sometime it dawned on me that I would be found wanting. I seized the opportunity offered by the ICCES to learn batik; tie-dye, soap and pomade production."

The training programme was part of Government's Skills Training and Employment Programme (STEP).

STEP was initiated by the Inter-Ministerial Committee on Action for Employable Generation (AFEG) to focus on Employment Generation. Six thousand (6000) people were expected to benefit from the STEP programme country-wide. 01 July 04