There are Enough Talents:Lack of Equipment Is Holding Back Ghanaian Youth - NEIP Deputy CEO

The primary barrier preventing young Ghanaians from achieving financial independence is not a shortage of skill or work ethic, but the financial hurdle of acquiring basic start-up equipment, according to Joan Selasie Ahiawordor, Esq., Deputy Chief Executive Officer of the National Entrepreneurship and Innovation Programme (NEIP). Speaking at an empowerment event in Hohoe in the Volta Region, she emphasized that thousands of trained and ambitious young people remain trapped in unemployment simply because they lack the essential tools needed to turn their abilities into a steady income. 

​Delivering her address during the rollout of the "Stitch to Sustain Initiative" a partnership between NEIP and philanthropist Alhaji Seidu Agongo that distributed free sewing machines to 850 beneficiaries across the Volta and Oti regions. Madam Ahiawordor noted that vocational training alone is insufficient if graduates cannot afford the machinery of their trade. Without access to basic working tools, raw talent often goes unmonetized, stalling both personal livelihoods and local economic growth. 

​Her remarks highlight a critical shift needed in youth employment policy: moving beyond purely theoretical or skills-based workshops toward tangible resource provision. By removing the upfront capital barrier of purchasing equipment, public-private partnerships like the "Stitch to Sustain" programme allow young artisans and entrepreneurs to bypass debt, immediately launch micro-enterprises, and begin generating regular revenue within their communities. 

​Ultimately, bridging the gap between potential and productivity requires sustained investment in practical start-up kits alongside mentorship. As Madam Ahiawordor underscored in Hohoe, equipping young people with the right tools at the right time does more than create individual jobs. It transforms untapped youthful energy into a resilient engine for national development.

@Volta Today