Chief Executive Officer of the National Youth Authority (NYA), Osman Abdulai Ayariga, has reaffirmed the Authority’s commitment to expanding skills development and sustainable livelihood opportunities for Ghanaian youth through the National Apprenticeship Programme.
Speaking at the National Youth Forum, Mr. Ayariga said youth unemployment, underemployment and limited access to sustainable livelihood opportunities remain among the major challenges confronting young people in Ghana.
He said the National Apprenticeship Programme, launched by President John Dramani Mahama in Tamale, is designed to provide free and inclusive skills training to young people across the country, including those who may not have had the opportunity to pursue formal education.
According to him, the programme combines 30 percent classroom-based learning with 70 percent practical workplace training, ensuring that participants acquire skills that are relevant to the realities of the workplace and marketplace.
“The programme commenced with over 14,000 apprentices in 2025, and our objective is to progressively expand its reach so that many more Ghanaian youth can acquire employable skills, establish businesses and build sustainable livelihoods,” Mr. Ayariga stated.
He explained that the NYA is also working to strengthen the wider apprenticeship ecosystem by engaging apprentices, Master Craft Persons, industry players and other stakeholders.
Mr. Ayariga said Master Craft Persons have been trained, certified and deployed as trainers under the programme to improve the quality, standardisation and effectiveness of apprenticeship training.
He stressed that the Authority’s objective goes beyond increasing the number of apprentices enrolled, noting that emphasis is also being placed on mentorship, certification and ensuring that training responds to contemporary industry requirements.
“Our objective is therefore to contribute to the transformation and professionalisation of Ghana’s informal apprenticeship sector and create a credible pathway through which Ghanaian youth can transition from skills acquisition to decent and sustainable livelihoods,” he said.
The NYA CEO also disclosed that the Authority has been working with the Ghana Revenue Authority to support youth-owned businesses through tax relief measures.
He said the NYA has endorsed applications from youth-owned businesses seeking five-year tax holidays and exemptions, with 21 applications approved and only two declined so far.
Mr. Ayariga maintained that Ghanaian youth require more than jobs, stressing the need for relevant skills, access to opportunities, entrepreneurship support, mentorship and an enabling environment to create sustainable businesses.
“Ghanaian youth do not only need jobs. They need relevant skills, access to opportunities, entrepreneurial support, networks, mentorship and an enabling environment that allows them to create value for themselves, their communities and the country,” he said.
He added that the government’s youth development agenda must ultimately equip young people to become productive participants in Ghana’s economic transformation.
Mr. Ayariga further noted that the National Youth Authority will continue working with the Ministry of Youth Development and Empowerment, private-sector partners, development organisations and youth groups to create sustainable pathways from skills acquisition to employment and entrepreneurship..
