Training programme for refugees

THREE hundred and eighty-nine refugees have completed a six-month training programme in Accra in vocational skills and competencies to make them employable.
The programme, which was rolled out by the National Vocational Training Institute (NVTI) under the auspices of the United Nations Human Security Trust Fund was sponsored by the Japanese Government at a cost of $1,700.00.
The beneficiary refugees are from Liberia, Togo, Chad and Cote d’ Ivoire.
The refugees were trained in baking, tailoring, dressmaking, batik tie and dye, beauty care, masonry, carpentry and soap science.
The National Project Co-ordinator of the United Nations Industrial Development Organisation (UNIDO), Mr Kwame Asante, said in all 428 refugees made up of 331 females and 97 males, completed the training programme but 389 wrote the NVTI examination.
“This is in line with the aspirations of the project to empower more women who form the bedrock of sustainable livelihood and the growth of the private sector”, he said.
Mr Asante said so far 675 refugees and host community members had also enrolled to undertake the training at the Buduburam settlement.
For his part, the Minister of Employment and Social Welfare, Mr Stephen Amoanor Kwaw, in a speech read on his behalf, urged the trainees to work hard, comport themselves and let customer satisfaction be their priority.
He expressed the hope that the programme would address human security needs and generate income for the refugees and their host communities.
“It is not only to assist the refugees to find profitable and sustainable activities to serve their short term needs, but also to provide them with the needed skills, knowledge and experience to be productive,” the minister stated.
The Director of the NVTI, Mr Stephen Amponsah, said the trainees were empowered with employable skills to enable them to fend for themselves and contribute to the development of the country.
He observed that the risk of unemployment was greater for people without skills than those with qualifications and skills, thus that made the course very crucial, given the global trend in which one could hardly walk out of a classroom into a waiting job.
Mr Amponsah added that vocational skills training created an opportunity through which people could develop their abilities and use what they had learnt to make a difference in their lives.
There were fraternal messages from the UNDP, Japan Embassy and UNHCR.