MMDCEs sensitised to YouStart ahead of July launch
The Ministry of Finance and the YouStart implementation agencies have sensitised regional ministers, metropolitan, municipal and district chief executives (MMDCEs) in the southern part of the country to the programme.
The one-day sensitisation programme, organised in collaboration with the Ministry of Local Government, Decentralisation and Rural Development in Accra yesterday [May 26, 2022], drew participants from the Greater Accra, Central and Western regions.
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It educated the participants on how they can provide support services for potential beneficiaries in their various areas.
It is part of a nationwide stakeholder engagement drive by the government ahead of the launch of the programme in July this year.
YouStart in perspective
A Deputy Minister of Finance, Dr John Ampontuah Kumah, at the programme highlighted the objectives of YouStart and said it could only be achieved if Ghanaians understood the importance of entrepreneurship and job creation in the current economic structure of the country.
“Currently, 92 per cent of enterprises in Ghana are micro, small and medium enterprises (MSMEs) and they contribute to 83 per cent of employment and 70 per cent contribution to the nation's Gross Domestic Product,” he said.
“If you want to transform the economy, you must pay attention to them,” Dr Kumah, who is also the Member of Parliament (MP) for Ejisu, said.
The Deputy Finance Minister said in order to ensure that the youth, irrespective of where they found themselves, could access the programme, the government was working closely with all the MMDCEs to enhance knowledge and understanding of the initiative.
Other personalities
Present at the event was the Minister of Local Government, Decentralisation and Rural Development, Dan Botwe; his Deputy, Osei Bonsu Amoah; the Chief Executive Officers of the National Entrepreneurship and Innovation Programme and the Ghana Enterprises Agencies, Kofi Ofosu Nkansah and Kosi Yankey-Ayeh, respectively.
YouStart is being funded by the Electronic Transfer Levy (E-Levy).
About initiative
YouStart seeks to support young entrepreneurs to gain access to capital, training and technical skills to enable them to start, build and grow their own businesses.
The initiative aims to support young people and students between the ages of 18 and 35 who have brilliant business ideas and viable businesses to nurture, grow and expand their businesses and create jobs in the economy.