The Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of the National Entrepreneurship and Innovation Programme (NEIP), Mr Kofi OfusuNkansah, has called on the youth to take advantage of the YouStart Programme to create their own businesses.
YouStart is a GH¢10 million entrepreneurship programme announced by the government in the 2022 budget to support the youth with capital and technical skills to create their own businesses and expand existing ones.
Mr Nkansah was speaking at the launch of the 21 Days of Y’ello Care 2022 at the Accra Technical University last Friday, said the YouStart, an innovative initiative of the government offered great opportunity for the youth to create their own businesses.
This year’s 21 Days of Y’ello Care focuses on youth/graduate unemployment, financial inclusion, and digital skills training are being organised across the country.
On the theme “Empowering communities to drive economic recovery and Job Creation,” the programme brought onboard private recruitment agencies, business partners as well as other stakeholders to host Curriculum Vitae clinics for job seekers, graduates, and undergraduates.
Mr Nkansah who delivered the keynote address said the programme currently being piloted was expected to be launched by the President, Nana AddoDankwaAkufo-Addo, early next month.
He said the programme was meant to create one million jobs in the next three years, stressing that the YouStart funds would be allocated to banks to on-lend to the youth on a long-term basis with an interest rate below five per cent.
Mr Nkansah commended the MTN Foundation for organising the programme to empower the youth with technical skills.
The Senior Manager for Sustainability and Social Impact Report, Robert Kuzoe, noted that in line with this year’s theme, the programme would focus on youth/graduate unemployment, financial inclusion, and digital skills training.
MrKuzoe said the devastating effect on communities due to the COVID-19 pandemic had necessitated the need for the organisations to explore innovative ways of helping communities recover.
“Having experienced the devastating effects of COVID 19, we have been charged with the mandate to explore innovative ways to help our communities with the recovery process,” Mr Kozoe sad.
Mr Kuzoe in view of the challenges posed by the coronavirus pandemic, this year’s programme would focus on empowering communities to drive economic recovery with a strong focus on capacity building.
“We are interested in empowering and working with women, the youth, and the disabled during the employee volunteer programme,” he said.
Some of the activities, he mentioned, that had been outlined to be organised include youth upskill programme, Y’ello market Gig, digital skills caravan and entrepreneurial leadership training session for Student leaders in public tertiary institutions across the country.
The Senior Manager also urged all MTN users to participate in the programme because the experience would be fulfilling, inspiring and transformational, adding that “through Yello care we hope to create a global chain of inspiration to many people.”
BY KINGSLEY ASARE
