Eni Ghana trains 900 youth in Western Region
Oil production company, Eni Ghana, and its partners, have trained more than 900 youth in entrepreneurship and small business management in 10 communities in the Western Region at the cost of $9 million.
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The training, which was to prepare them for the job market, was in partnership with Vitol, the Ghana National Petroleum Corporation (GNPC), and the World Bank and executed by the Ghana Enterprises Agency (GEA).
The beneficiaries were drawn from 10 communities in the Ellembelle District in the Western Region.
While some were already owners of micro, small and medium enterprises (MSMEs), others were assisted to acquire skills and trades of their choices from the scratch.
Some of the areas they were trained in included financial literacy, health and environmental management, compliance and regulatory support as well as branding and packaging.
They were also supported to formalise their businesses with the Office of the Registrar of Companies.
Technical skills training was also offered in various trade areas, such as livestock, agro and fish processing, food and drink production, textiles, garment and accessories production, toiletries and cosmetics production, leather, rattan and woodworks, bamboo and catering services.
At the last graduation ceremony at Elonyi in the Ellembelle, some of the trainees, who had completed the programme, which was implemented over two years, exhibited their products and services.
Initiative
A statement from Eni said the beneficiaries of the initiative were drawn from communities such as Atuabo, Bakanta, Ngalekye, Sanzule (including Anwolakrom fishing area) and Krisan.
Other communities Eikwe, Anokyi, Ngalekpole, Asemda, and Baku in the Ellembelle District.
The project, designed in collaboration with the World Bank, is part of the sustainability initiatives that Eni Ghana, together with its Offshore Cape Three Points (OCTP) partners, Vitol and GNPC.
It is under its Economic Diversification Building Business Project, focused on women, youth and marginalised groups to enable the establishment of MSMEs.
It was also to foster entrepreneurial culture and support the local economy of the district to impact the communities, support start‐up businesses and enhance employment opportunities, the statement said.
Eni added that the project had been very well received by all stakeholders, including the leadership of the various communities and the Ellembelle District.
Eni is a global integrated energy company operating in 69 countries.
It has been present in Ghana since 2009 with its upstream activity and currently accounts for a gross production of about 70,000 barrels of oil equivalent per day from the OCTP block, which it operates with Vitol and GNPC.