An ambitious initiative aimed at training an estimated 500,000 Ghanaian youth in various crafts over the next five years has been officially launched by President John Dramani Mahama.
The National Apprenticeship Programme (NAP) will kick off with an initial cohort of 10,000 trainees across all metropolitan, municipal, and district areas nationwide, with plans to scale up to 100,000 beneficiaries annually. Training will encompass a wide range of fields including agriculture and agro-processing, covering fish, poultry, and bee farming alongside food preservation, masonry, carpentry, plumbing, electrical work, pottery making, bead making, weaving, leather work, dressmaking, hairdressing, cosmetics, welding, furniture making, auto mechanics, and basic robotics, among others.
President Mahama unveiled the NAP during a launch event in Tamale on Wednesday, themed “Skills for Prosperity; Empowering Ghana’s Future.” This strategic initiative is designed to equip young Ghanaians with practical, hands-on skills through structured, industry-based training, focusing on enhancing employability, entrepreneurship, and self-reliance.
“This initiative is a testament to our unwavering commitment to investing in the most critical asset of our nation – our youth and reaffirms the promise in the NDC’s 2024 manifesto to equip young people with relevant, marketable skills that meet the demands of the 21st-century job market,” President Mahama stated. He noted that despite Ghana’s vibrant youthful population, “too many of our young people find themselves battling underemployment and unemployment,” a situation that must be addressed urgently.
To support apprentices, President Mahama announced that each participant would receive a stipend for transportation, a startup toolkit upon completion, and a certificate. The NAP is designed to be inclusive, with at least 45 percent of apprentice trainees expected to be female and a minimum of five percent representing persons living with disabilities.
“Special attention will be given to marginalized and vulnerable groups across the country. We are building an apprenticeship system that will leave no one behind,” the President assured.
The programme will adopt a dual apprenticeship model, with 30 percent of training classroom-based and 70 percent practical, lasting from two to four months, and 12 to 18 months depending on the trade and skill.
Set to commence on May 1, 2025, President Mahama encouraged interested applicants and master craftsmen to pick up application forms at local assemblies free of charge or register online at the National Youth Authority’s portal at www.nya.gov.gh.
By the end of the five years, the President estimated a 60 percent self-employment rate among graduates, an average 40 percent increase in incomes for beneficiaries, and the creation of 25,000 new businesses to contribute to national industrialization.
Chief Executive of the National Youth Authority, Osman Ayariga, emphasized that Ghana’s quest for industrialization can only be realized if the youth are equipped with the necessary skills. He assured, on behalf of the youth of Ghana, that his agency would not let the President and his government down, given the trust placed in them with the appointment of young individuals to key positions in the state.
