Transport Ministry rolls out programme to create 1,100 jobs

The Minister of Transport, Kweku Ofori Asiamah says his outfit will roll out a training programme in Marine Labour Development targeted at building the capacities of about 1,100 youth resident along the country’s coastlands.

The minister said this at the inauguration of a seven-man committee at the conference room of the ministry in Accra.

According to the minister, the training programme, which comes as part of government’s agenda for creating jobs for the people, is being rolled out in collaboration with the Regional Maritime University, Ghana Maritime Authority and other key stakeholders in the industry.

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The committee members are Kwame Owusu, Director General Ghana Maritime Authority (Chairman); Samuel Quaye, Director General (Maritime Services), GMA; Francis Ofori Kwansah, Administrator, Labour Department; Capt. W. Wricketts, Regional Maritime University (RMU); JN Mante, Principal Marine Engineer RMU; Eric Tetteh, Ag. Director, Research and Statistics, Ministry of Transport and Mrs. Audrey Naana Abayenna, Deputy Director Legal Bureau, Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

Mr Kweku Ofori Asiamah indicated that the work of the committee would go a long way to identifying the target groups from the three Coastal Market Centres at Takoradi and Cape Coast for the training which begins later in the year.

“Under the programme, seafarers will be trained and retooled and provided with the requisite skills to enable them meet international standards for seafaring activities and operations,” he stated.

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He said cadets would receive training and practical skills development in Engine Officer Cadet, Deck Officer Cadet and vocational, adding that with the quality of training, cadets would pass out more employable both at home and abroad.

Speaking on the terms of reference for the committee to operate, the minister mentioned among other things, that it has four weeks to present its reports and Action Plans.

He further mentioned Strategies for Ship Board training, Signing of Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with Prioritized Ship registry while ensuring international marketability of the cadets and strategies for the formation of Seafarers’ Union to ensure the optimization of foreign exchange inflows.