The Centre for Social Mobilisation and Sustainable Development (CENSODEV) has announced plans to establish a multi-disciplinary Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET) Centre in Navrongo to provide vulnerable young people in Northern Ghana with practical skills for employment and entrepreneurship.
The proposed CENSODEV-Kaizen Multi-Disciplinary TVET Centre is expected to serve as a skills development hub aimed at reducing youth unemployment, promoting self-reliance and strengthening livelihoods among disadvantaged groups.
The initiative will target young people between the ages of 12 and 17 years, as well as young adults aged 18 to 35 years, with priority attention given to women, persons with disabilities and other marginalised groups.
According to CENSODEV, the centre will initially serve five districts in the Upper East Region before expanding its reach to other parts of Northern Ghana, including the Northern, North East, Upper West, Savannah and Bono Regions.
Executive Director of CENSODEV, Mr Braimah Sanjage, said the facility would combine technical training with the Japanese Kaizen philosophy of continuous improvement to promote discipline, efficiency, innovation and quality among trainees.
He explained that the approach would help young people acquire practical competencies that align with industry demands while preparing them to establish sustainable businesses.
“The centre is expected to empower young people, especially those from vulnerable backgrounds, with employable and entrepreneurial skills that will improve their livelihoods and contribute to socio-economic development,” he said.
The proposed training programmes will cover areas including modern agriculture and agribusiness, agricultural mechanisation, welding, electrical installation, solar technology, plumbing, bricklaying, woodwork, information and communication technology (ICT), digital and financial literacy, as well as entrepreneurship and business development.
Mr Sanjage noted that agriculture would receive special attention because of the importance of the sector to Northern Ghana’s economy, adding that the centre would equip young people with skills to create jobs and develop viable enterprises.
To ensure effective implementation, CENSODEV plans to collaborate with institutions including the Kassena-Nankana Municipal Assembly, the Ghana Education Service TVET Unit, the Rural Technology Facility, the University of Technology and Allied Sciences in Navrongo, the Navrongo Health Research Centre, traditional authorities, local artisans and the business community.
He said the partnerships would support curriculum development, technical mentorship, practical training opportunities and community mobilisation for enrolment.
The centre will also rely on experienced professionals, including active and retired experts in various technical fields, to mentor trainees and bridge the gap between classroom learning and workplace application.
Mr Sanjage disclosed that the proposal had been submitted to the Japan Embassy’s Grassroots Human Security Project (GGHSP) for consideration, with officials having already conducted due diligence on the project.
He expressed optimism that approval and support for the initiative would pave the way for the establishment of a centre of excellence that would transform technical and vocational education in Northern Ghana.
Mr Sanjage urged young people in the region to prepare to take advantage of the opportunities the facility would provide, saying skills development remained a key pathway to reducing unemployment and poverty.
