One hundred and fifty youths have been enrolled to learn vocational and technical skills under the Sinapi Aba Youth Apprenticeship Programme (YAP).

The majority of youth beneficiaries were selected from Tamale while others are from other parts of the Northern Region.

Officials say the move is critical because Northern Region is the only part of the country left to benefit from the YAP initiative.

The support from Sinapi Aba Savings and Loans is to equip participants in the trade of their choice under a three-year training period.

Participants will be coached and trained in hairdressing, dress-making, auto-electrical and auto-mechanic, carpentry, tile laying, catering, aluminium fabrication, and welding.

According to the Tamale branch Manager of the Sinapi Aba saving Loans, Michael Adongo, the initiative is to help the youth in income generation. 

He said this will help eliminate crime within the region. 

“This initiative will help the vulnerable youth learn some trades and also help to generate income. This will mostly help eliminate crime in the region”. 

YAP considers highlighting the need to prioritize vocational skills in most regions. 

The initiative is the financial institution's economic empowerment program to support the unemployed youth in its operational areas, through entrepreneurship. 

Coordinator of the Youth Apprenticeship program, Margaret Owusu Asare, says the project is aimed at helping the vulnerable poor who are desperate to learn vocational skills. 

“The project is aiming at helping the vulnerable poor who are desperate to learn vocation skills but are unable because their parents are poor”. 

She continued that it is about time the youth in the northern part of Ghana benefit from the initiative.

"....tamale has been the target now because we see it as potential and we believe the youth must also benefit from this initiative”. 

Appreciating the initiatives, Mohammed Rashida, a beneficiary, says the program will enable her to meet the needs of her family. 

“Sinapi Aba is interested in touching the lives of the youth in making them responsible. At the end of this program, I will be able to learn more and become successful. I will become a professional hairdresser and also be able to take care of my family” she touted. 

Another beneficiary, Abdul Fataw, expressed gratitude. He believes the initiative will help the youth in the region.