Thirty-Four institutions to benefit from National Youth Fund

Adukrom (E/R), April 11, GNA - Thirty-four vocational and technical institutions have been selected nation-wide for a pilot stage of the operation of the 50-billion cedi National Youth Fund.

The National Youth Council (NYC), the implementers of the Fund, have developed modalities for the operation of the fund.

Mr Kwadwo-Baah Wiredu, Minister of Education, Youth and Sports announced these on Saturday in a in a speech read on his behalf by Mr Joe Mante, the National Youth Co-ordinator at an entrepreneurship training programme at Adukrom in the Akuapem North District of the Eastern Region. The programme was organised by the Akuapem North District Youth Clubs Association, a non-governmental organisation, as part of this years Easter celebrations.

Mr Baah-Wiredu said the Adukrom Secondary Technical School has been selected for the implementation of the pilot project in the Akuapem North District.

He said the Job Creation Centres of the participating institutes in the pilot scheme were expected to proactively source for contracts form the District Assemblies so that students from the schools could execute them or invite other skilful youth outside the schools to implement the contracts. Mr Baah-Wiredu said the Ministry has presented the last draft of the reviewed National Youth Policy to Cabinet for consideration.

He said policy objectives in the reviewed policy have been expanded to cover information, communication and technology, peace building and security environmental protection and integrating youth work into functions of the Metropolitan, Municipal and District Assemblies.

Mr Baah- Wiredu said Decree (NRCD 241), which established the NYC was being revised to renew that law as it had been found to be obsolete. On entrepreneurial skill, Mr Dunwell Eku, Head of Training of the EMPRETEC Foundation, advised the youth to help find solutions to society's problems and to create jobs for themselves.

Mr Richard Maglo, President of the NGO, said it had 850 members, who were committed to ensuring unity, peace and tranquillity among the youth towards the development of Akuapem are.