The deputy minister for Finance and member of Parliament for Ejisu, Dr. John Ampontuah Kumah has charged Government institutions and all Municipal, regional ministers, Metropolitan and District Chief Executives (MMDCEs) to rally the youth for Government’s Youstart programme when it is launched by the President in the coming weeks.
He made this call during a stakeholder engagement with some Government officials, regional ministers and Municipal, Metropolitan and District Chief Executives on Monday, 30th May, 2022 in Tamale as part of a nationwide stakeholder engagement on the YOUSTART programme.
Addressing the gathering numbering over three hundred, the Deputy Minister mentioned that the recent population and housing census has shown that Ghana’s youthful population is growing at an exponential rate and Government through its latest intervention is seeking to directly impact the lives of the Ghanaian youth.
“Out of our total population of 31 million, about 11 million are young people between the ages of 15-35 years and so, we must invest in them more than we have done over the years. Through the E-levy, Government can mobilize some GHC 1 billion and can invest in the job creation potentials of the youth this year and other commitment from our development partners and some selected banks. So, every Government institution has an obligation to rally the Youth in every part of the country for the Youstart programme” he said.
“The YOUSTART programme is for every Ghanaian youth who has a business idea and needs training and funding to implement it and I also want to throw a challenge to every enterprising Ghanaian Youth to take advantage of YOUSTART and to own it” he added.
The programme was attended by Government officials, regional ministers and Municipal, Metropolitan and District Chief Executives from Upper West, Upper East, North East, Bono East and Northern region.
Present at the event was the Minister for Local Government, Decentralization and Rural Development and member of Parliament for Okere, Mr. Dan Botwe, Deputy Minister for Local Government, Decentralization and Rural Development and Member of Parliament for Techiman South, Hon. Martin Agyei-Mensah Korsah, Chief Executive Officers of the National Entrepreneurship and Innovation Programme and the Ghana Enterprises Agencies, Mr. Kofi Ofosu Nkansah and Mrs Kosi Yankey-Ayeh respectively.
YouStart is being funded by the Electronic Levy.
About YOUSTART
YOUSTART is a programme that seeks to support young entrepreneurs to gain access to capital, training and technical skills that will enable them start, build and grow their own businesses. This initiative targets young people and students between the ages of 18-35 years who have brilliant business ideas and viable businesses, and supports these individuals to nurture, grow and expand their businesses and job creation in the economy.
Government through the YOUSTART programme intends to build an entrepreneurial nation by providing some of the key enablers that make entrepreneurship a success. These include: training & Capacity, access to market, technology and procurement opportunities, Business development support services, access to finance (up to 500,000) and compliance and quality assurance support.
Given the high rate of youth unemployment in the country, Government intends to use the YOUSTART programme to create more jobs for the economy and to support the expansion and growth of Ghanaian businesses within the next 3 years.
