The Local Enterprises and Skills Development Program (LESDEP) has been lauded as a pillar and a key component in fulfilling President Mills’ better Ghana agenda.
Deputy Local Government and Rural Development Minister, Elvis Afriyie Ankrah, observed that the programme “marks the beginning of a major paradigm shift for a new Ghana”
He was speaking at a four-day orientation workshop for zonal coordinators of Local Enterprises and Skills Development Program in Accra on Thursday.
He was hopeful the advent of LESDEP would produce world acclaimed entrepreneurs and multinational companies.
“I envisage that very soon, joblessness among the youth will be mitigated,” he remarked, adding that the menace and nuisance of foot soldiers would be curtailed. Mr Afriyie Ankrah explained that LESDEP would create numerous job opportunities, in a sense that the youth would not have any excuse not to work but to continue depending on people’s largesse.
He charged on the coordinators to see themselves as transformers in Ghana’s development agenda by making impact on the lives of many more Ghanaians.
The Deputy Minister also challenged them to identify talents within their areas and help them, as well as exploring for resources under their jurisdiction that could be tapped. He warned them against nepotism. “You must be fair to everybody.”
National Coordinator of LESDEP Adem Gariba said the workshop would equip the participants with information and skills required to execute their job effectively.
He noted that LESDEP is a public-private partnership, remarking that such partnerships are very important in nation building since the government alone cannot shoulder all the responsibilities of the state.
Professor Paul N. Boakye, a resource person and chairman for the workshop, maintained that it is the wish of every government to see transformation in its people, as they use that transformation to work diligently for the benefit of the state.
He charged the zonal coordinators to lead a live worthy to be seen as a light to entrepreneurs under them, adding that to become effective entrepreneurs they “must be quick to listen but slow to speak”.
He also asked them to be agents for transformation in their communities and committed to the vision of LESDEP.
The zonal coordinators are expected to among others operationalize the programme at the district level, recruit and facilitate training and monitor and evaluate the programme.
LESDEP which aims to achieve development through local entrepreneurship is expected to create about the 20,000 direct jobs estimated to be created in 2011.
Story by Isaac Essel/Myjoyonline
http://business.myjoyonline.com/pages/news/201110/75118.php
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