The Oforikrom Municipal Assembly, in collaboration with the Ghana Enterprises Agency (GEA) and the Mastercard Foundation, has trained 35 young people in fruit juice processing as part of efforts to reduce unemployment and promote entrepreneurship in the municipality.

The beneficiaries, who successfully completed the skills training programme, were presented with start-up kits and seed capital to enable them to establish their own fruit juice production businesses.

The initiative aims to create employment opportunities, improve livelihoods, and contribute to local economic development.

Speaking during a brief ceremony to hand over the start-up kits, the Municipal Director of Agriculture Lena Adutwumwaa Gyamfi, said the intervention forms part of the Agriculture and Agribusiness to Entrepreneurs (AA2E) programme, which seeks to equip young people with practical skills, business knowledge, and the necessary resources to build sustainable livelihoods.

“The start-up kits being distributed today are not merely items; they are opportunities for economic independence, job creation, and community development,” she stated.

The Director encouraged the beneficiaries to make effective use of the resources provided, apply the knowledge acquired during the training, and strive for excellence in their entrepreneurial ventures.

Some of the beneficiaries expressed their heartfelt appreciation to the Oforikrom Municipal Assembly, the Ghana Enterprises Agency, and the Mastercard Foundation for the support.

They pledged to make good use of the start-up kits and share the skills acquired with other young people in their communities to help create more employment opportunities.

The programme was implemented through a partnership between the Ghana Enterprises Agency, the Mastercard Foundation, and the Oforikrom Municipal Assembly as part of ongoing efforts to empower youth and promote sustainable economic growth in the Ashanti Region.