The government yesterday, May 29, officially commissioned the Make Fashion Inclusive Training Centre after following its launch on September 16, 2024.

The centre, located in Kumasi, is designed to empower and equip persons with disabilities (PWDs) by providing skills training, business development support, and others.

The initiative, led by the Youth Employment Agency (YEA) in partnership with the German Development Corporation, under the broader vision of Invest for Ghana, aims to create sustainable employment opportunities for PWDs in Ghana’s fashion industry.Invest for Ghana is an initiative aimed at attracting foreign and local investments to boost Ghana’s economy. It focuses on job creation, industrial growth, and infrastructure development, particularly in sectors like agriculture, energy, digital innovation, and manufacturing.

Speaking during the commissioning, Acting Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of the Youth Employment Agency (YEA), Malik Basintale, highlighted the government’s commitment towards disability inclusion for national development. Basintale revealed that the hub would not only be trained in fashion designing but other crafts as well.

He said, “The YEA is proud to be part of this journey that is your journey. As we open the doors of this hub today, we are opening the doors to independence, creativity, and economic opportunity for at least 100 persons living with disabilities to be trained not only in fashion design. But also be trained in embroidery, beading, and millinery works, and they will also be equipped with tools to build your businesses to employ others and to transform your community.”The government would also launch another programme that will train about three hundred PWDs in catfish farming, equipped with over 400 fingerlings to begin a trade.

“And just to confess, in the next two to three weeks, a new project will be launched from tailoring jobs held, where we would train about 300 persons with disabilities, equipping them with 500 fingerlings of catfish and setting them in the backyard of their houses to sell…” he added.

The launch saw the presence of Ghana’s Minister for Youth Development and Empowerment, George Opare Addo; GIZ; and other partners of the initiative, as well as local fashion entrepreneurs and PWD beneficiaries.

Meanwhile, the Mahama-led government, since assuming office, has implemented several programs to help reduce unemployment in the country and empower the youth as well.

Recently, YEA signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the Ghana Fire Service to recruit 5,000 young Ghanaians as fire assistants across the country.

Also, the government launched the National Apprenticeship Programme (NAP), which is aimed at equipping young Ghanaians with practical, employable skills. It is expected to train 100,000 youth annually across all 261 districts in Ghana. The government has allocated GH¢300 million to cover training costs and monthly stipends for participants.