EIGHTY TRAINEES of the Wealth Creation and Social Development Training Centre at Old Tafo in Kumasi have passed out after intensive 12-month training in dressmaking, batik making, catering and hair dressing.

The centre was established in 2006, with 75 students, as a non-governmental organization by the Member of Parliament for Tafo Pankrono, Dr. Anthony Akoto Osei, as his contribution towards youth empowerment in the area, in fulfillment of a campaign promise to reduce youth unemployment and idleness.

The centre initially started with dress making and kente weaving, but the Kente weaving was abandoned after the second batch graduated, due to the high cost of weaving materials and accommodation problems.

The programmes, which were initially over six-month duration, were later extended to 12 months after the second batch for more efficiency.

Currently, the centre is running a 2-year course and has been accredited to undertake NVTI final exams.

Speaking at graduation ceremony, Dr. Akoto Osei appealed to the government to invest more on vocational and technical education in the country to equip the youth with the requisite skills to make them relevant to the world of work.

Dr. Akoto Osei, who is sole financier of the activities, including trainers' allowances and the cost of training materials at the centre, said the youth should be empowered to make good use of the opportunities offered to them to realize their potentials in future.

He announced that the centre currently offers courses such as dressmaking, batik making, catering and hair dressing to make students more versatile and mobile and also to meet current social development.

He called on the government to come in and assist with classroom blocks and other training materials for the centre so that it can also serve as a training ground for LESDEP graduates.