Prof. Gyan-Baffuor launching the report
Minister of Employment and Labour Relations, Ignatius Baffour Awuah, has stated that the government’s agenda of creating prosperity and equal opportunity for all Ghanaians through job creation is on course.
Mr. Awuah said the flagship job creation programmes of the government like the One District One Factory, the Nation Builders Corps, Planting for Food and Jobs, amongst others, were within reach to reduce the unemployment rate in the country.
Speaking at the launch of the second edition of oil marketing firm, Total’s Startupper Challenge in Accra on Monday, Mr. Awuah said the private sector had a role to play in the realisation of the visions of the government.
The Startupper Challenge is an initiative of the Total Group to serve as a major support for business creation and development in African countries and the rest of the world by helping innovative entrepreneurs carry out their projects.
To be staged in 60 countries across Africa and Asia, three Ghanaian winners would win a prize of GH?180,000 to set up their enterprises.
Giving statistics on existing jobs in the country, Mr. Awuah said the private sector was the biggest employer in Ghana and that the initiative would go a long way to expand the job web.
“The significance of this project to the socio-economic well-being of the Ghanaian youth,” Mr. Awuah said, “cannot be emphasised, and therefore we must all roll up our sleeves and work together as a team to reap the huge benefits the project presents.”
Entrepreneurs, the Employment and Labour Relations Minister said, were national assets to be cultivated, motivated and remunerated as “they can change the way we live and work.”
He gave the Total Group thumbs up for the initiative and urged other multinational colgtomorates to emulate the efforts of Total.
Mr. Eric Fanchini, Managing Director of Total Ghana, explaining the rationale behind the initiative, said Total had operated in Ghana for 60 years and therefore “we are attentive to what is happening in the communities where we are located.”
As a responsible company, he said “Total seeks to offer solutions to the challenges in Ghanaian societies with the hope that the Startupper Challenge would create jobs through the winners and their enterprises.”
BY JULIUS YAO PETETSI
Read Full Story
Facebook
Twitter
Pinterest
Instagram
Google+
YouTube
LinkedIn
RSS