The Ghana National Chamber of Commerce and Industry, Presbyterian University of Ghana and the European Union have convened policymakers, training institutions and small businesses in Wa to advance green skills development and enterprise support for women and youth.
The two-day engagement in the Upper West Region brought together more than 80 participants as part of activities under the GreenGrowth Ghana Project, which aims to strengthen sustainable skills development and support small businesses across Northern Ghana.
The programme began with a strategic policy dialogue attended by 45 institutional and government stakeholders. Discussions focused on reforming Ghana’s Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET) system to align with the country’s emerging green economy priorities.
A statement signed by Mr Peter Atsu Dotse, Head of Communications at the Ghana National Chamber of Commerce and Industry (GNCCI), said 35 agricultural cooperatives and small and medium-sized enterprises participated in practical enterprise training sessions.
The training covered areas such as sustainable agriculture, cooperative governance, digital tools for business development and strategies to improve access to markets.
The GreenGrowth Ghana Project, launched in October 2024, is a three-year initiative designed to expand economic opportunities for women and young people in green and circular economy sectors across Northern Ghana.
The project promotes sustainable agriculture, agroforestry value chains, circular production systems and environmentally responsible enterprise development. It also seeks to address structural barriers that limit the participation of women and young people in emerging green markets.
The statement said the initiative had progressed from stakeholder consultations to structured policy dialogue, enterprise training programmes and targeted grant financing for emerging green businesses.
Mr Kabutey Ceasar, National Treasurer of GNCCI, said the project highlights the need to combine policy reforms, skills development and financial support to create sustainable employment opportunities.
“This project demonstrates how policy reform, skills development and enterprise financing must work together to create sustainable jobs for women and young people,” he said.
He noted that Northern Ghana had significant potential in sustainable agriculture and circular production, and the project was helping to translate that potential into practical economic opportunities.
Mr Ceasar said the policy dialogue examined how Ghana’s TVET system could better respond to the needs of a growing green economy.
Participants identified several structural challenges facing the sector, including outdated training equipment, limited funding for skills delivery, weak collaboration between training institutions and industry, and insufficient enforcement of quality standards.
Mr Christopher Addy-Nayo, Team Leader of the GreenGrowth Ghana Project, emphasised the importance of practical training in developing green skills.
“Green skills development must go beyond theory. Institutions must equip young people with practical competencies that allow them to build sustainable enterprises while protecting the environment,” he said.
He added that regional engagements, training initiatives and grant support opportunities would continue across Northern Ghana to strengthen inclusive green enterprise ecosystems.
Training sessions during the programme covered topics such as soil and water management, cooperative governance, entrepreneurship development, digital tools for business growth and strategies for accessing both domestic and international markets.
Participants were also introduced to environmental compliance practices, responsible waste management and circular production approaches designed to reduce resource use while improving productivity.
Mr Addy-Nayo said a key component of the GreenGrowth Ghana Project is a targeted grant support mechanism for women- and youth-led enterprises operating in green sectors.
Under the programme, eligible businesses receive financial support together with technical mentoring and business development services aimed at strengthening production capacity, improving environmental standards and expanding market access.
The grant facility forms part of a broader strategy targeting about 1,000 women and young people facing economic vulnerability, while also generating community-level benefits through job creation and sustainable enterprise development.
