The Ashanti Regional Minister, Hon. Dr. Frank Amoakohene, together with officials from the National Entrepreneurship and Innovation Programme (NEIP), visited the Akenten Appiah-Menka University of Skills Training and Entrepreneurial Development (AAMUSTED) to interact with beneficiaries of the government’s flagship Adwumawura Programme, currently undergoing a five-week entrepreneurship training at the University. The visit, which took place on November 27, 2025, also aimed to gather feedback to improve and enhance the programme in subsequent years.
The Adwumawura Programme targets to train and support 10,000 young entrepreneurs annually, to reduce youth unemployment and foster economic growth. The programme provides comprehensive support, comprising skills training, mentorship, start-up capital, and equipment to help youth start and grow their businesses.
AAMUSTED is currently training about 80 beneficiaries from the first cohort of the Adwumawura initiative, as a training partner to NEIP, the implementation Agency on the Adwumawura Programme.
Receiving the Regional Minister and NEIP Officials, the Vice-Chancellor of AAMUSTED indicated a strong commitment of the University to expand its participation in the Adwumawura Programme to enable it contribute more to the programmes’ overall success.
The Vice-Chancellor noted that the University was prepared to assume enhanced responsibilities under the programme, stressing that the objectives of the Adwumawura Programme fully align with the mandate of the University.
Prof. Sarfo said AAMUSTED would welcome an opportunity to undertake research on the programme to evaluate its impact on employment, job creation, and society as a whole.
He expressed appreciation to the government and its various ministries and agencies, including the Ministry of Finance, the NEIP, and the Coordinators of the Adwumawura Programme, for selecting AAMUSTED among the training institutions under the Adwumawura Programme.
He assured them that the University would do its utmost effort to contribute to the overall success of the programme, stressing “We are ready to work with you; let us know if there is anything more we can do to help.”
For his part, the Ashanti Regional Minister, Hon. Dr. Amoakohene, described AAMUSTED as the ideal institution to partner with NEIP on the Adwumawura initiative. He noted that, as Ghana’s premier TVET and Entrepreneurial Development Teacher Education University, AAMUSTED is uniquely positioned to advance the objectives of the programme.
He was thus happy about what he described as AAMUSTED’s impressive enthusiasm in the Adwumawura Programme and assured the University that he would convey its appeal to the appropriate authorities to consider other areas the NEIP could partner with AAMUSTED on the Adwumawura Programme.
Hon. Dr. Amoakohene noted that the government was committed to shaping the nation’s future through key initiatives that promote TVET and entrepreneurship, to drive job creation and employment in the country.
During the interaction session with the Adwumawura Entrepreneurship trainees, the Deputy Chief Executive Officer of NEIP, Miss Joan Selasie Ahiawordor, reminded the trainees about the rigorous but transparent processes from which they were selected to undergo the training, a reason she encouraged them to take advantage of the opportunity to learn and improve their businesses.
She explained that about 110,000 applications were received when the initiative was announced. That number, she said, was subsequently whittled down to 10,000 to be trained and then 2000 of them, who would be able to come up with a strong business proposal would receive funding to set up their own businesses.
The trainees expressed gratitude to the government for the initiative, appealing to it to increase the number of beneficiaries to receive funding for their businesses.
Among the Regional Minister’s entourage was the Ashanti Regional Director of NEIP, Alhaji Moro Gausu Obideaba.
Also present from the AAMUSTED side were the Pro Vice-Chancellor, Prof. Isaac Boateng; Registrar, Mr. Augustus Kwaw Brew; Director of Public Affairs, Mr. Michael Kofi Twum-Ampomah; and Director of General Administration and Consular Services, Mrs. Abena Amoatemaa Ackorlie, Esq.; and Head, Centre for Entrepreneurship Development Education (CEDE), Dr. Lydia Takyi.
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