Minister for Youth Development and Empowerment, George Opare Addo, has announced that the National Apprenticeship Programme will prioritise the inclusion of marginalised groups, reserving 60% of available slots for women and 15% for persons with disabilities.

Speaking in an interview on Adom FM’s morning show, Dwaso Nsem, the Minister emphasised the need for inclusive development, stating that women, often marginalised in employment opportunities, are a key focus of the programme.

“Women are a key component of what we are doing because they are mostly a marginalised group. Therefore, we are reserving a percentage of applications for women. We hope to achieve a maximum of 60% of the total applications from women and 15% for people living with disabilities to ensure that our initiative is inclusive for all marginalised individuals in our society,” he said.

The Minister added that men are not excluded. However, he encouraged more women and persons with disabilities to apply to achieve broader representation and impact.

“While we welcome applications from men, we hope to see more women apply so everyone is well represented. Additionally, we are including individuals within the galamsey [Illegal mining] enclave and those who are being rehabilitated from drug abuse so that they can create a better life for themselves.”

The programme, launched on March 19, is being implemented by the National Youth Authority (NYA) and aims to provide practical vocational and technical training to equip young Ghanaians with employable skills.

It also targets individuals from galamsey-prone areas and those recovering from drug abuse, offering them a pathway to rehabilitation and sustainable livelihoods.