Mr Nicholas Yayin Niper, the District Chief Executive for the Bia East District in the Western North Region, has presented more than 200 start-up kits to apprentice trainees after a skills training exercise. The project, financed by the Ghana Enterprise Agency (GEA) in collaboration with Master Card Foundation, is aimed at supporting beneficiary trainees to establish their own business in their respective areas to improve upon livelihoods and the local economy. The beneficiary trainees acquired skills in masonry, hairdressing, sewing, bread baking, tiling, Auto electronics, Fitting and vulcanizing among others. The DCE, who is also the NPP's parliamentary candidate for the Bia East constituency after the presentation in an interview with the Ghana News Agency (GNA) lauded the initiative saying it would help improve upon livelihoods, especially among the youth who lacked the financial resources to set up their own businesses after a successful apprenticeship training. He promised that his outfit would ens ure the beneficiaries used the startup kits for the intended purpose. Hajia Habiba Sumani, Regional Director of the Ghana Enterprise Agency (GEA), told the Ghana News Agency, that the project formed a vital component of the 'business in the box project,' a collaborative initiative between Ghana Enterprise Agency and the Master Card Foundation. She indicated that the government of Ghana under president Akuffo Addo remained committed in providing employment opportunities for the teaming youth. The Regional Director further disclosed that the GEA since 2017 had facilitated the creation of over 109,471 jobs with an impressive 67 percent beneficiaries being women and that this particular ceremony was a testament to yet another remarkable achievement through GEA and Master Card Foundation. She said the training and startup kits would help empower and provide the beneficiaries with sustainable enterprises. Hajia Sumani encouraged them to make the most out of the resources available to them and urged them not to hesitate to reach out to the business advisory center at the District Assembly when they encountered any challenge. Some of the beneficiary trainees in an interview with the Ghana News Agency expressed profound gratitude to the government, the DCE, as well as the Ghana Enterprise Agency and Master Card Foundation for the initiative and promised to make good use of the investment made in them. They asked residents within the district to rally behind the government and the district chief executive who is vying to become member of Parliament for the Constituency in order for others to benefit from the initiative. Source: Ghana News Agency