African Development Bank (AfDB), in partnership with the Social Investment Fund (SIF) and other government agencies, has engaged stakeholders in the Savannah Region on the implementation of the Ghana Women and Youth Employment and Social Cohesion Programme (GWYESCO).
The engagement, held at the Regional Coordinating Council Conference Hall in Damongo, brought together traditional and religious leaders, government officials, development partners, civil society organisations, and representatives of women and youth groups.
GWYESCO is a four-year programme running from 2026 to 2029, aimed at promoting employment, entrepreneurship, skills development, access to finance and social cohesion among women and young people.
Opening the engagement, the Savannah Regional Minister called for greater investment in women and young people, describing them as important partners in Ghana’s economic and social development.
He commended the AfDB for its financial support and the SIF and other stakeholders for their roles in implementing initiatives designed to improve livelihoods and strengthen community resilience.
The Minister stressed that women and youth should not be regarded merely as beneficiaries of development programmes but as active participants and leaders in community development, peacebuilding and decision-making.
He said social cohesion was essential to sustainable development because it promotes trust, peaceful coexistence and cooperation among communities.
He urged traditional and religious leaders, local authorities, civil society organisations and development partners to support initiatives that promote tolerance, dialogue and peaceful coexistence.
The Regional Coordinating Council, he assured, would continue working with the AfDB, SIF, government institutions and other partners to promote inclusive development and strengthen social cohesion in the region.
The Paramount Chief of Kpembe traditional area Yiram Kpembewura Banbange Ndefoso IV, who chaired the engagement, welcomed the programme and expressed appreciation to the AfDB, SIF and the Ministry of Finance for bringing the initiative to the Savannah region.
He said northern Ghana had a large pool of hardworking women and energetic young people with the potential to contribute significantly to national development.
However, he noted that limited employment opportunities, inadequate employable skills and restricted access to finance remained major challenges confronting many women and young people.
He expressed optimism that GWYESCO would help address these challenges through skills training, entrepreneurship support and access to finance.
A representative of the Social Investment Fund, Mr. Puo-ire Prosper, said GWYESCO was designed to address unemployment and create dignified economic opportunities, particularly for women and young people.
The programme is expected to create 22,000 direct jobs and 6,000 indirect jobs while providing market-driven skills and enterprise support across seven regions.
The beneficiary regions are Savannah, Northern, North East, Upper East, Upper West, Central and Eastern.
Mr. Prosper said empowering women with sustainable economic opportunities was important, given their significant contribution to households and community development.
Mr. Moro Haruna, Monitoring, Evaluation and Learning Specialist for GWYESCO, said the programme would focus on four major areas: skills development, entrepreneurship, access to finance and social cohesion.
He said the programme would collaborate with institutions including the National Entrepreneurship and Innovation Programme (NEIP), Youth Employment Agency (YEA), Northern Development Authority (NDA), skills development institutions and private-sector partners.
The initiative is expected to provide market-relevant training and business development support to women and young people while facilitating access to finance for eligible beneficiaries.
Mr. Haruna encouraged prospective beneficiaries to take advantage of the opportunities when applications open, stressing the importance of acquiring practical skills that can lead to sustainable livelihoods.
The Damongo engagement forms part of broader stakeholder consultations to strengthen awareness, participation and collaboration in the implementation of GWYESCO.
Stakeholders were urged to work together to ensure that the programme’s opportunities reach intended beneficiaries and contribute to job creation, economic empowerment, peaceful coexistence and sustainable development in the Savannah Region.
Post a Comment