The Central Regional Director of the Youth Employment Authority (YEA) says the government is prioritising vocational and technical training to help equip the youth with the requisite knowledge and skills.

Speaking at the Central Regional Association of Vocational Apprenticeship ceremony at Swedru, Sarah Afful said the agenda is to help achieve the National Industrialization agenda.

In this direction, the government is committing adequate resources to vocational and technical training for the youth to acquire entrepreneurial skills to become self-employed, she stated.

Ms Afful presented 40 industrial sewing machines, 100 mobile phones and 40 clipping machines among others to members of the Central Regional Association of Vocational Apprenticeship.

“The government has adequately resourced the Artisan Directorate of YEA to assist apprentices of hairdressers, dressmakers, barbers, masons, carpenters and others to undergo training to acquire vocational and technical skills”.

"The mobile phones were to enable the beneficiaries to start a mobile money business," she added.

She said the Authority would ensure that the youth received the needed help to promote their businesses and also have access to the necessary support from the government to become self-reliant.

Ms Afful advised the recipients to put the machines to good use in order to benefit from this laudable move by the government.

Ms Afful added that the government would continue to pursue an agenda that promoted skills development of the youth through the Youth Employment Authority (YEA) to reduce unemployment. According to her, youth unemployment will no longer plague the country if the programme is well executed and patronized.

She assured the beneficiaries that all qualified youth would be assisted without any political considerations.

Madam Afful urged the beneficiaries to work assiduously to complete their three-year trade skills acquisition to enable them support themselves and their families.