AGRICO HUB HOLDS STAKEHOLDERS MEETING ON “DIGITAL AND STARTUP SKILLS FOR APPRENTICES PROGRAM” IN TECHIMAN

As part of the implementation of the ongoing Digitalization and Entrepreneurship for Local Economic Program (DELED Program) in the Bono East region, Agrico Hub held a stakeholder Meeting on Friday 17th June 2022 in Techiman with some local stakeholders to discuss the execution plan for the commencement of the Techiman edition of the DELED program. 

It was a forum to explain to the stakeholders the structure of the program, progress made so far from other communities, and to outline the role of stakeholders and participants and all related matters relating to execution of the Techiman edition of DELED program. The stakeholder meeting is one of the key activitiesthat precede the commencement of the DELED program in all the select communities to get full stakeholder bye-in. 

The key stakeholders that graced the Techiman edition include the Regional Executives of the Association of Small-Scale Industries (ASSI, Bono East region), Ghana Enterprises Agency Business Advisory Center (GEA BAC), Business Resource Center (BRC), Techiman Municipal Assembly (Planning Officer), Ghana Chamber of Entrepreneurs with Disability (GCED), Techiman Municipal Directorate of Ghana Education Service (GES), members of the various Associations and groups, some Apprentices and their leaders. Other participants include Mr. Nabil Mahama, CEO of iVally Ghana, Damango in the Savannah Region.

The Agrico Hub DELED Team headed by the CEO, Mr. George Antwi-Boasiako gave a general overview of the DELED program. He posited that the DELED program as a special program designed to build the capacity of women, youth and business owners in the Bono East region with relevant digital and business development tools to enhance their market potentials. He acknowledged the leadership of the local partners including BRC, MTN, ASSI and GEA BAC for the massive support they have given to the Hub during the implementation process in all the 5 communities in the DELED program. 

The discussion centered on the state of Apprenticeship in Techiman and the Bono East region and how digitalization can aid apprentices to start sustainable businesses after their trainingform their various trade areas. It came out of the meeting that in recent times, more males (boys) are not entering into apprenticeship compared to females in Techiman mostly due to the desire to ‘get rich quick’. The boys in the region are now resorting to Tricycle ridding (Pragya) instead of learning a skill to financially secure their sustainable future. 

Mr. Patrick Asante, the Director of Techiman BRC assert that we should encourage TVET among the youth as a means to reduce economic dependency nonetheless entrepreneurship and business development must core in TVET to ensure sustainable launch of startups. The rep from GES IT unit, Mr. Sampson Oppong added that most lives has been transformed due to skills learnt through apprenticeship and that formal education is not the only means to securing economic future.

Mr. Osman Ibrahim (CEO of Asoma Leather works) reiterated that it is important for the “masters” to see their apprentices as partners and treat them well and also encourage them to complete their apprenticeship since it has the potential to safeguard the economic future of the youth. 

The Regional Chairman of ASSI Mr. Kusi Appiah advised the apprentices to take their future into their own hands and take their apprenticeship serious. He commended Agrico Hub for introducing the “Digital and Startup Skills for Youth in Apprenticeship Program” since it will equip the Apprentices with the requisite start skills to launch their businesses after their training. He however requested that Agrico Hub should solicit for additional support in the form of simple tool kits aside the training to assist the apprentices for easy launch of their business. They added that some of the apprentices require simple tools to aid them to start their own enterprises. 

The stakeholders pledged their readiness to support Agrico Hub to make the Techiman edition of the DELED program a success. The Techiman Edition of the DELED program seeks to train at least 25 Youth in Apprenticeship in various trade areas for 3weeks. This will be followed by another 3weeks training on Ecommerce for owners of MSMEs in Techiman as has been done in Nkoranza and Atebubu. 

The DELED program is proudly supported by the GIZ Digital Transformation Center (GIZ DTC) with the prime objective of promoting Digital Transformation in rural communities in the Bono East region.

Eunice Baah Damoah, MPhil

Programs Manager, Agrico Hub