The Association of Ghana Industries, (AGI) has initiated moves to support young people across the country to become people who create jobs rather than seeking jobs.

This is aimed at curbing the country’s greatest challenge of youth unemployment and contributing to creating wealth and enhancing livelihoods.

The Volta, Oti, and Eastern Regional AGI Chairperson, Dela Gadzanku made this known during a familiarization tour of Vokia Farms, in the Agotime Ziope District of the Volta Region.

The AGI led officials from the Ghana Export and Promotion Agency and the Ministry of Food and Agriculture to pay a visit to the emerging food beverage production company, owned by a young Ghanaian.

“We want to see young people to be creators of jobs and not seekers of jobs. We don't want to see young people travelling for jobs that are non-existent when we have so many resources around us”, he said.

He disclosed the AGI’s plan to launch the ‘Youth in Business’ programme to groom young people to become business owners to enable them to create employment and improve the country’s trade and industry sector.

“Our National President Dr Humprey Ayim-Darke is also looking at how to support women and the youth, so five years ago we established what we call ‘The AGI Women in Business’.

“Preferably next year, we will be launching what we call the ‘Youth in Business’ programme which will give a platform to people like you to mentor and showcase your products to serve as an inspiration to the young people, especially in the Volta Region”, he said.

Mr Gadzanku indicated that the association is working in partnership with the Volta Regional Coordinating Council to promote the region’s investment potential.

“We are talking about agribusiness, tourism, ICT, and creative arts. In the agriculture sector, what we need is to add value to our raw materials. We need to create value-addition industries like yours”, he said.

He expressed hope in small-scale industries expanding their markets by exporting their products to the West African Sub-region to promote the objective of the African Continental Free Trade Area.

He acknowledged the challenges SMEs face and assured of the association's commitment to help resolve them by exposing the industries to varied support opportunities from multinational and national entities to expand their trade.

The Chief Executive Officer of Vokia Foods, Vozbeth Azumah chronicled the humble beginning of his company and how he braced the odds to establish a production unit, to maximize profit.

He said through perseverance, they have been able to break into the Ghanaian market and have their products nationwide.

Mr Azumah lamented how his investment in locally produced machines has gone to waste, as the machines are either not performing the exact function they were manufactured for or break down easily.

“Unfortunately, the machines we procured up to about GH₵500,000 are not up to standard. They are Ghanaian-made. Some of them are not working”, he said.

The Volta, Oti, and Eastern Regional AGI Secretary, Dela Gbeve said the association would endeavour to resolve the identified challenges of the Vokia Farms, which cuts across the industrial sector to ensure value for money and enhance productivity.

The Volta Regional Director of GEPA, Doris Bansah assured Mr Azumah of her outfit’s support to assist him in his quest to export his products to other countries especially, within the Africa sub-region.

An official of the Ministry of Food and Agriculture, Agnes Nyamalor, reiterated MoFA's commitment to providing extension services to Vokia Farms to ensure quality produce from the factory.