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YIEDIE, GREDA partnership yielding positive results - Executive Secretary, GREDA

Ghana Real Estate Developers Association (GREDA) says it partnership with the Youth Inclusive Entrepreneurial Development Initiative for Employment (YIEDIE) project to build the capacity of youth and service providers across the construction value chain is yielding results.

Mr Samuel Amegayibor, Executive Secretary, GREDA speaking after the opening of the YIEDIE Job Readiness and Mentoring Fair held in Takoradi last week Thursday said the project had so far trained scores of youth who were now playing key roles in Ghana’s construction sector.

The event which attracted scores of the youth from Takoradi and its environs sought to stimulate discussions around the need for a comprehensive support system to complement investments in skills development as part of efforts to prepare Ghana’s growing youth population for the construction job market.

It was also to serve as a catalyst for building partnership between the public and private sector for skills development and mentoring.

He said with the YIEDIE project, the skills levels of local artisans in the construction sector had seen marked improvements through trainings being offered.

“Despite the fact that most artisans are trained under apprenticeship schemes, no additional professional training is received after apprenticeships, limiting access to knowledge of new techniques and equipment. YIEDIE project is an example of such an intervention,” he said.

This is a five-year project designed to create economic opportunities in Ghana’s construction sector for disadvantaged youth (i.e. school dropouts living in poverty).

 The project aims to provide training and better job placement for 23,700 young people, leading to an estimated 90 per cent increase in income levels.

Mr. Amegayibor said Ghana’s infrastructure deficit presents huge opportunities for the youth and urged them to take advantage of the YIEDIE project.

“ We keep having the deficit worsening by the day even though developers are trying to add onto the housing stock but the addition  is way below what the national requirement is annually and so there is that gap which is widening that gives opportunity for businesses to take up and try to close it up,” he said.

Mrs Vera Kafui Mills-Odoi, YIEDIE Project Director said the project sought to equip the youth with the necessary skills to exploit opportunities in the country’s construction sector.

Mrs Mills-Odoi said the Fair offered the youth the platform to engage employers directly, share experiences and equip them with the skills needed to be successful in the construction business.

She said it was also to stimulate discussions on the need for comprehensive support systems to complement investments in skills development.

“The goal of YIEDIE is to create employment for the youth between 17 to 23 years in the construction sector,” she said.

BY DAVID ADADEVOH

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