The Vice Chancellor of Koforidua Technical University (KTU), Professor John Owusu, has hailed the institution’s latest initiative—the Nkabom Project—as a transformative intervention designed to address the country’s rising graduate unemployment.
Describing the programme as a “game changer”, Prof. Owusu stressed that the project would not only equip the youth with practical life skills but also empower them to start their own businesses and become job creators.
“This Nkabom Project is absolutely a game changer. Just look at the number of unemployed graduates in the system—it poses a significant threat to national stability. With this initiative, we are not only going to train young people with relevant skill sets but also provide them with the means to start their own businesses and immediately employ others,” Prof. Owusu said.
He added that as a technical university, KTU is committed to ensuring that graduates leave the institution with industry-ready competencies and entrepreneurial abilities that allow them to thrive independently and solve problems within their communities.
The Nkabom Project, a 10-year entrepreneurial training programme supported by the MasterCard Foundation, aims to train over 2,000 young Ghanaians in various vocational and business skills.
Successful participants will also receive startup kits and financial support to help launch their ventures upon graduation.
William Odoom, the Project Coordinator, highlighted the urgency of the initiative, citing the staggering figure of more than 592,000 unemployed youth in Ghana.
He emphasised that the programme is designed to reverse this trend by preparing young people to become job creators rather than job seekers.
“This collaboration between KTU and the MasterCard Foundation will focus on building entrepreneurial capacity among the youth. Beneficiaries will receive not only training but also startup funds to help bring their business ideas to life. The long-term impact in terms of job creation will be significant,” Odoom noted.
The initiative has also attracted support from government agencies. The Eastern Regional Director of the Youth Employment Agency (YEA), Foli Dakpo Atigah, pledged the agency’s backing for the programme and announced plans for deeper collaboration with KTU.
“There is a need to empower and repackage the skills of local artisans so they can benefit from new and emerging market opportunities,” Atigah said.
“We are shifting our focus to providing sustainable employment for the youth, and we will be working closely with KTU to establish boot camps and training hubs tailored to developing and refining the skills of young, talented individuals.”
He added that the goal is to instill a strong entrepreneurial mindset among Ghana’s youth to reduce dependency on limited formal employment opportunities and encourage self-reliance.
