MP to pay GH¢400 fees for each youth to learn ICT

Accra, Feb. 27, GNA - Nii Nortey Dua, Member of Parliament for Ledzokuku Constituency, is to pay GH¢400 enrolment fees for each youth in his constituency to benefit from the Information Communication Technology=

(ICT) module under the National Youth Employment Programme (NYEP). Nii Nortey Dua, who is also Deputy Minister of Youth and Sports, sai= d he would used his share of the Ghana Education Trust Fund (GETFund) to pa= y the fees and therefore asked interested persons to register with the NYEP=

offices for payment to be effected. He announced this at a ceremony organised by the Ledzokuku Constitue= ncy of the National Democratic Congress (NDC) to present certificates of recognition to members of the party, who served as Poling Station Agents for the 2008 general election at Teshie near Accra on Saturday.

The 312 certificates, designed in the NDC's colours, were signed by the President, John Atta Mills, Dr Kwabena Adjei, NDC Chairman and Nii Nortey=

Dua, representing the party's appreciation of the efforts and contributio= ns of the agents. Nii Nortey Dua said the efforts of the agents enabled the NDC to wrestle the Ledzokuku Parliamentary Seat from the New Patriotic Party aft= er it held for eight years. The Deputy Minister also announced that he was developing a module called Youth-in-Dressmaking for interested youths in his constituency to undergo six months training and become professional designers. The idea, according to him, was to give the youth the right attitude=

for profitable self-employment and financial freedom. He said even though government successfully rolled-out the Youth-in-= ICT programme, most of the youths have not been benefiting because they could=

not pay the GH¢400 enrolment fees.

Nii Nortey Dua, however, said he was keen on turning the situation around for his constituents. He said he was also collating data on graduate unemployment in the constituency and had asked all university and polytechnic graduates to register and be enrolled in well-crafted entrepreneurial and marketing programmes to enhance their skills to become self-employed. "I have also scheduled a meeting with the physically challenged in t= he constituency to enable them to decide what to be done for them and I will=

impress on the District Assembly to release two per cent of its revenue, as mandated by the law, towards serving their interests" the MP said. He said in the next three weeks, he would open a Constituency Parliament where every community within it would send two persons to represent them at meetings concerning the constituency's development. He said this year, he would begin the construction of a-six classroo= m block for Agblesa community in the northern part of the constituency and build library fitted with ICT facilities at Teshie to improve educational=

standards in the constituency.

Nii Nortey Dua told members of the party not be carried away by what=

others might be saying but to remain committed to party as it moved into action this year to deliver projects that would improve their living conditions. Mr Daniel Amartey Mensah, District Chief Executive for Ledzokuku Krowor, said his administration had embarked on numerous projects includi= ng rehabilitation of roads, street lighting, provision of health and educational facilities and water to better the lot of the people. Sam Nii Bonney Quist, Ledzokuku Constituency Chairman of the NDC sai= d the presentation of the certificates showed that the party recognized any=

contribution of its members and called on the members to continue to work=

for its victory in subsequent elections. Mr Danny Anang, National Vice Chairman of the NDC and Member of the Ledzokuku branch commended the polling station agents for their hard work= ..