The North East Region has received its first batch of tools and equipment under the National Apprenticeship Programme (NAP), with Regional Minister Hon. Ibrahim Tia declaring the rollout a concrete step in government’s drive to tackle youth unemployment.
Launching the distribution on Wednesday, February 18, 2026, Hon. Tia said the initiative moves beyond skills training to directly resource young artisans to start work.
“This is not just a ceremony. We are fulfilling a promise,” he said. “We are moving from rhetoric to results.”
The National Apprenticeship Programme is a major government intervention aimed at closing Ghana’s skills gap and reducing youth unemployment. It offers free technical and vocational training built on a 30 per cent classroom and 70 per cent workplace learning model under certified trainers and master craft persons. Beneficiaries receive nationally recognised certification and are channelled into employment or self-employment in sectors such as agriculture, manufacturing, ICT, construction, renewable energy and traditional crafts.
The programme, backed by a GH¢300 million national allocation, also targets women, persons with disabilities and young people from underserved communities.
In the North East Region, the first cohort of apprentices received trade-specific equipment to enable them to begin work immediately after training — a long-standing gap in previous apprenticeship systems.
“For years, our young people had the skills but not the tools,” Hon. Tia said. “Today, we are removing that barrier.”
He warned beneficiaries against selling the equipment, describing the items as business start-up capital. “These tools are not for sale. They are your foundation and your capital,” he said.
The Minister positioned the programme within President John Dramani Mahama’s broader economic agenda, including the proposed 24-Hour Economy policy.
“You are the pioneers of the 24-Hour Economy at the grassroots,” he told the apprentices. “When your workshops are productive, you strengthen the local economy.”
He also urged master craft persons supervising the apprentices to uphold standards and expand their training capacity using the newly supplied equipment.
The rollout in the North East forms part of a nationwide implementation of NAP, which government says is designed to ensure that no region or district is excluded from the skills development push.
“As Regional Minister, my responsibility is clear — to translate the President’s vision into real opportunities for our people,” Hon. Ibrahim Tia said.
With tools now in circulation, the success of the programme in the region will likely be measured not by speeches, but by how many apprentices convert their training into viable businesses in the months ahead. The tools include hair dryers, sewing machines, carpentry tools and boots.
Source: www.kumasimail.com
