The Member of Parliament (MP) for Ketu North, Mr. Eric Edem Agbana, has launched the Ketu North Skills and Apprenticeship Programme, a constituency-driven initiative aimed at equipping young people with practical, employable skills through fully funded apprenticeship training.
Speaking at the launch in Dzodze, Mr. Agbana said the programme was designed to support young men and women who are eager to learn a trade and become self-reliant but are unable to afford the cost of apprenticeship training.
The initiative, he explained, draws inspiration from President John Dramani Mahama’s National Apprenticeship Programme but has been customised to meet the specific needs of the Ketu North Constituency.
“Today, we are starting with 207 beneficiaries from across Ketu North. These young people have shown the readiness to learn a trade and build a sustainable future for themselves,” the MP said.
Mr. Agbana noted that although Ketu North is divided into four administrative zones, the large number of applicants required the programme to be rolled out in two phases.
The first phase covers the Dzodze and Penyi zones, while the second phase, involving the Weta and Afife zones, is expected to begin within the next month.
He said the long-term goal is to train at least 500 young people each year, enabling them to attain economic independence and contribute meaningfully to local development.
Under the programme, the MP’s office is covering the full cost of apprenticeship agreement fees, graduation expenses and the provision of tools and equipment required for training.
At the launch, some beneficiaries received items such as sewing machines, toolboxes and other working tools.
In addition, each of the 207 beneficiaries received a cash incentive to help them settle into their training environments and purchase basic needs, including uniforms and starter materials.
“This programme is focused on the needy, school dropouts, single parents and other vulnerable youth. Our aim is to build a constituency that leaves no one behind,” Mr. Agbana said.
He recalled that last year his office introduced a scholarship scheme that supported more than 420 tertiary students, stressing that informal and technical education is just as important as formal academic training.
Mr. Agbana assured stakeholders that the apprenticeship initiative is designed to be sustainable, explaining that extensive planning and negotiations had been conducted with master craftsmen and women before its launch.
“This is not a one-off project or a political slogan. It is guided by a policy framework and designed to continue beyond 2026,” he said.
Unlike the national apprenticeship model, where master craftsmen select trainees, Mr. Agbana explained that beneficiaries under the Ketu North programme were selected first and allowed to choose their preferred trades and trainers within their own communities.
He said this approach reduces travel challenges and keeps trainees close to their homes.
He acknowledged technical support from the National Youth Authority (NYA), led by Mr. Osman Ayariga, and disclosed plans to provide additional equipment support to selected trainees after a three-month assessment period.
The Municipal Chief Executive for Ketu North, Rev. Martin Amenaki, commended the MP and his wife for the initiative, describing it as a practical response to youth unemployment and crime in the area.
He said the shared vision of the MP and President Mahama is to ensure that every young person is productively engaged through skills training, entrepreneurship, agriculture or formal employment.
Also speaking, the Volta Regional Coordinator of the Youth Employment Agency (YEA), Mr. Daniel Hamanu, praised the intervention, noting that its scale could, over time, ensure that nearly every young person in Ketu North acquires a skill.
Master craftsmen and women selected for the programme welcomed the initiative and pledged to provide quality training while instilling discipline, strong values and good work ethics in the apprentices.
Beneficiaries expressed appreciation to the MP and his wife for the financial and material support and pledged to take their training seriously to achieve both personal success and the broader goals of the programme.
The launch was attended by assembly members from the Dzodze and Penyi zones, NDC ward coordinators, constituency executives and other local stakeholders.
