The Minister for Youth Development and Empowerment, George Opare Addo, has announced that the government has allocated GH₵110 million to the nationwide rollout of the Adwumawura programme, and GH₵300 million to support the National Apprenticeship Programme.

Speaking at the Government Accountability Series at the Jubilee House on Monday, August 4, the Minister explained that the Adwumawura programme has received significant financial backing from the Ministry of Finance following a directive from President John Mahama to scale up youth economic empowerment across the country.

“In a further demonstration of the government’s unwavering commitment to economically empowering Ghanaian youth, an amount of GH₵110 million has been allocated this year for the nationwide operationalisation of the Adwumawura programme,” he said.

He added that the allocation shows the government's seriousness about job creation. “This financial backing sends a strong signal that we are not merely announcing intentions; we are resetting the country and investing in the future of young people,” he noted.

The Adwumawura Programme, which was officially launched by President Mahama on April 28 at the Prempeh Assembly Hall in Kumasi, is a flagship initiative aimed at tackling youth unemployment and fostering innovation.

The Minister revealed that the response to the initiative has been encouraging. “I am pleased to report that the programme received over 8,000 applications in the first week alone. To date, we have received more than 11,000 applications through both online and manual submission channels. All are currently under review,” he added.

Mr Opare Addo also spoke about the National Apprenticeship Programme, another government-led initiative aimed at addressing unemployment and enhancing practical skills among young Ghanaians. He confirmed that the programme has also received substantial funding to support its rollout.

“This year, President John Mahama, through the Ministry of Finance, has allocated GH₵300 million to this programme as a deliberate effort to promote skills development among the youth,” he said.

He announced that the programme will officially begin on 12 August 2025, when the first cohort of trainees will be matriculated.

The Apprenticeship Programme is designed to equip participants with hands-on vocational and technical skills in various trades to increase their employability and entrepreneurship potential.

President Mahama, on April 30 in Tamale, launched the National Apprenticeship Programme. The initiative seeks to to tackle youth unemployment by removing the cost barrier to skills training in the informal technical and vocational sectors.