The Deputy Minister of Defense Partners Kumasi Technical University

Member of Parliament (MP) for Atwima Kwanwoma Constituency Hon. Kofi Amankwaa-Manu, who also doubles as the Deputy Minister of Defence on Friday, February 11, 2022 paid a working visit to Kumasi Technical University (KsTU). The Visit was to afford the MP an opportunity to familiarize himself with the University and to see how best he can partner the University to bring the desired change to his constituents.

The MP is collaborating with the Business Development Centre of KsTU to create job opportunities for the youth through livelihood empowerment programme. The project is dubbed “Kofi Amankwa-Manu Livelihood Empowerment Project (KAM-LEP)” and it is in line with KsTU’s “Professionalisation of Artisans (ProfArts) Project”.

Beneficiaries will have months of extensive vocational training on hairdressing, tailoring, baking and greenhouse technology. Currently, over one hundred and sixty (160) youth including about forty (40) master craftsmen in various vocational skills areas are receiving training under a ‘Training of Trainers Programme’. One hundred and ten (110) more apprentices are also receiving similar training at KsTU to enhance their capacities even before they go to the field. Over five thousand (5,000) youth in the Atwima Kwanwoma Constituency are targeted to gain employable skills through this programme.

The Head of Business Development Centre at KsTU Dr. Solomon Kwarteng Forkuo said “this is the first time a Member of Parliament in the Ashanti region is taking up such a project which has direct impact on the lives of the youth”.

Interacting with the Registrar of the University Mr. Ebenezer Kofi Boakye, the MP was full of praise for the University for the Institution’s readiness to embrace any programme geared towards equipping the youth with employable skills.

On his part, Mr. Boakye (Registrar) said KsTU was ready to ensure that the trainees receive the best of everything under the programme. He said the Institution was ready to continue to monitor the trainees even after the training.

Some of the beneficiaries expressed their joy and thanked the MP for such a gesture which promises to be a major boost to addressing youth unemployment. Atwima Kwanwoma has a sizeable youthful population who are expected to have their lives changed through this KsTU collaboration with KAM-LEP.