The Ghana National Petroleum Corporation (GNPC) Foundation has sponsored 505 trainee artisans to acquire certificates in various trades from the National Training and Vocational Institute (NVTI).
The project falls under GNPC’s Skilled Artisan Project (SAP), a livelihood empowerment programme to support young Ghanaians to acquire artisanal/vocational skills.
It is being implemented in partnership with the ASEDA Foundation, a community-based organisation.
The beneficiary artisans from Bekwai, Mampong, Offinso and Kumasi, soon to graduate, had their competencies tested this week.
Under the domestic module, they were tested in cookery, bakery, dressmaking, tailoring, hairdressing, make-up, and interior designing.
Others were tested on plumbing, carpentry, auto-mechanics, general electrical, and aluminium fabrication under the technical module.
Dr Dominic Eduah, the Executive Director, GNPC Foundation, during a visit to the Kumasi Vocational Training Institute, said the NVTI certification was necessary to boost the trainees’ employability and credibility.
He said SAP was designed to support the youth across the country with technical and vocational skills to perform to the best standards.
The project targets five regions including Western, Central, Greater Accra, Eastern and Ashanti to impact the lives of some 2,050 artisans.
Some of the beneficiaries, who spoke to the Ghana News Agency, expressed appreciation to the Foundation for facilitating their acquisition of the NVTI certificates.
