Don't despise trades and vocations-Ameyaw

Mr. Ralph Ameyaw, Executive Secretary of Council of Indigenous Businesses Association (CIBA) on Saturday called on the youth not to despise trades and vocations but rather embrace skills training to ensure a good and comfortable future. He observed that trades such as tailoring and hairdressing were highly rewarding and helped the individual to be self-reliant. Mr. Ameyaw said this at the graduation ceremony of 22 hairdressers, seamstresses and tailors of the Dzodze Zone of the Ghana National Tailors and Dressmakers Association (GNTDA) at Dzodze. The ceremony also marked the reorganization of CIBA in the Volta Region. Mr. Ameyaw debunked perceptions that trade and vocations were for people who were not good in academics and said most skilled jobs were scientific, requiring mentally upright people to strive in the profession. He said modernity has made the practice of skill jobs interesting and urged youths who are drop-outs and unemployed to take the challenge to enhance their future. Mr. Ameyaw announced that government would soon formalize the profession to create ready employment for the youth and advised practitioners to remain committed to the work. He urged the graduands to plan their lives and cultivate the habit of saving. The Executive Director said CIBA was reviewing its soft loan scheme, high purchase system with other benefits to offer entrepreneurship empowerment to members and asked them to take advantage of the opportunity. Mr. David Setsoafia, National Vice Chairman of GNTDA noted that about 90 per cent of people were employed in the informal sector and appealed to government for support. Mr. Emmanuel Nuworsu, Dzodze Zonal Chairman of GNTDA appealed to government to establish a " high industrial garment" workshop at Dzodze to encourage young people and school drop-outs to take up apprenticeship to alleviate poverty and reduce armed robbery and prostitution in the area and the country as a whole. He commended government for upgrading Ketu North to a district status and pledged the preparedness of the Association at Dzodze to complement government's effort at reducing unemployment in the country.