The people of Okanta, a farming community near Nsawam has appealed to the government for the provision of a technical and vocational centre to give the youth skills training to become self-employed.
They further pleaded for a library facility to enhance teaching and learning among the students.
Nana Kwabena Owusu, the Odikro of Okanta in the Nsawam-Adoagyiri Municipality of the Eastern Region made the appeal in an interview with the Ghana News Agency after a news conference organised by the residents to express their worry over land guard activities in the area.
He said the lack of vocational training and job opportunities in the area had compelled some of the people especially the youth, who after completing senior high school migrated to the cities to seek for non-existing jobs.
“Those who cannot afford to travel become liabilities to society by indulging in wee smoking, land guards activities and armed robbery, and we believe that the provision of skills training would help solve the problem.”
Nana Owusu said lands for the projects were already available and that the residents were ready to provide communal labour.
Obaapanyin Awo Oforiwah advised the girls to take their education seriously by learning hard to benefit from the Free Senior High School policy of the government, while avoiding early sex, which could hinder their fortunes in future.
She asked young women not in school to learn vocations like sewing, hairdressing, soap making and other small businesses to support themselves.
Mr Ebenezer Asamoah Akuffo, the youth leader of Okanta appealed to Mr Frank Annoh-Dompreh, the Member of Parliament for the area to assist them in the provision of the projects and assured the readiness of the youth to provide communal labour as the projects take off.
