A cooperation agreement under which the German government is to support Ghana's Technical, Vocational and Educational Training (TVET) sector was on Monday signed in Accra.
Education Minister, Dr Matthew Opoku Prempeh, signed on behalf of Ghana while the German Federal Minister of Education and Research, Ms Anja Karliczek initialled for her government.
The German government would among others, support Ghana in the establishment of skills training centres with ultra-modern training equipment, and accreditation of TVET schools with credible certification.
Additionally, it would facilitate and help Ghana to collaborate with institutions with skilful trainers to enhance the skills and knowledge of the country's TVET trainers.
In an address, Dr Prempeh said there was the need to train the needed manpower to support various sectors of the country's economy.
He noted that a modern economy could not be developed without industrialisation.
The sector minister bemoaned that the country had for 100 years, exported gold to many parts of the world, but lacked a jewellery-manufacturing factory.
Describing the situation as unfortunate, Dr Prempeh added that despite Ghana being the second largest producer of cocoa in the world, Ghana lacked chocolate production factories.
This he noted had affected the growth of industrialisation in the country, stressing that if the country had the skilled workforce it would help address rural-urban migration in the country.
He said it was for this reason that the government had initiated the "One District, One Factory" programme to provide jobs for the youth.
"We need to get serious with our skills and entrepreneurship training and we need the support of the German government. Ghana Beyond Aid never means we are living beyond aid now, it only means we are putting measures in place not to stay on aid forever," he stressed.
Commending the German government for its efforts in supporting TVET education in the country, the minister appealed to Germany to assess and consider an immediate short-term plan to help Ghana improve its skills training.
Ms Karliczek in response, assured of her country's willingness and commitment to support Ghana to develop its economy and transfer knowledge and technological know-how to transform the country's TVET sector.
She said Ghana and Germany had over the years maintained a strong diplomatic relation and expressed her government's commitment to explore ways to deepen it.
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