A modern vocational training facility in Ntotroso, designed to empower rural youth and vulnerable groups, has been left in a state of neglect, four years after its commissioning.

The project, titled Building Local Entrepreneurial Skills to Support the Rural Poor, was launched in January 2019 as a collaboration between the European Union (EU), the Ghana Centre for Democratic Development (CDD-Ghana), and the Asutifi North District Assembly (ANDA). It was intended to equip local youth, women, and Persons with Disabilities with skills in trades such as welding, fabrication, and soap making to reduce rural poverty and curb migration.

Although the facility was handed over in December 2022 as a fully equipped centre, a recent visit to the site along the Ntotroso–Kenyasi road revealed extensive deterioration. The premises are overgrown with weeds, while parts of the building are visibly decaying. Expensive equipment, including welding and fabrication tools, remains unused and reportedly rusting under lock and key. Office furniture, computers, and printers provided for training purposes are also lying idle.

Thick vegetation has taken over the compound, and sections of electrical installations have been damaged.

Local authorities attribute the situation to the absence of basic utilities required to make the facility operational, including water and a stable electricity supply.

The Assembly Member for the Ntotroso Electoral Area, Adjenim Boateng, indicated that these outstanding works, though described as minor at the time of handover, have not been completed for years, leaving the facility non-functional.

A representative of the traditional authorities on the project committee, Nana Asante, also expressed disappointment over the situation, describing it as a waste of significant investment. He noted that the District Assembly’s inability to complete utility connections has rendered the facility idle despite substantial donor funding.

The Asutifi North District Assembly, which was assigned responsibility for maintaining the facility under a project sustainability agreement, has not responded to enquiries on the matter.

At the 2022 handover ceremony, project partners emphasised that the success of the investment depended on effective local maintenance and ownership. However, that expectation now appears unfulfilled.

The continued deterioration of the facility has raised broader concerns about the sustainability of donor-funded projects in Ghana and the risk of undermining future international support.

For residents of Ntotroso, the centre now stands as a symbol of a missed opportunity, with hopes for youth skills development stalled as the facility continues to fall into disrepair.