Kingsley Kwaku Pinkrah, a multiple award-winning social entrepreneur and the President and CEO of Community and Entrepreneurial Development Initiative (CEDI Ghana) has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with Queen’s University, Leadogo Incorporated in Canada, and JACCD Design Institute Africa to create thousands of jobs for the youth in Ghana.
The MOU was signed on Friday, June 24, 2022.
This project dubbed Entrepreneurship Jobs for All (E-Jobs4All) will set the youth up to build and grow their businesses. It will provide free entrepreneurship online and in-person tuition, an exchange program, and advisory services from Queen’s University faculty members, alumni, and Canadian business experts in the Leadogo Incorporated network.
Concurrently, JACCD Design Institute Africa in Accra will host the in-person training. It is hoped that the future entrepreneurs and their businesses will form the nucleus of a modern private sector that acts as an engine for job creation in Ghana.
Speaking at the ceremony, Professor Mohamad Abou Hamia, a former UN Senior Economic Advisor pledged his support for this project.
“Today’s signing of the MoU comes at a perfect time; the world has not fully recovered from the negative consequences of the terrible pandemic that hit us in early 2020. This has led to the ongoing rise in global inflation rates which will soon be followed by a severe recession, and millions of people could lose their jobs, especially in developing countries”, he shared.
Bright Wireko Brobbey, the Deputy Minister for Employment and Labour Relations also speaking at the ceremony, thanked the partners for this project which he said:“will equip the youth with the requisite technical and entrepreneurial skills to complement the government’s job creation efforts”.
He further stated that the importance of this intervention and the relevance of the project cannot be overemphasized. “This is because the Ghana Statistical Service per its Seventh Round of the Ghana Living Standards Survey (GLSS 7) estimates that the formal sector will not be able to generate jobs in the required numbers to absorb the growing labour force.
This means that a large proportion of the population would have to be guided into the informal sector which already employs about 85% of the labour force”.
Thus, he concluded that beneficiaries of the E-Jobs4All Project would have to be supported to create more employment opportunities to absorb the growing labour force both in the formal and informal sectors of the economy”.
The partners, Professor Greg Bavington, Executive Director of Queen’s University Dunin-Deshpande Queen’s Innovation Centre in Canada, Mr. Matt Hawskley, Chief Executive Officer of Leadogo Incorporated in Canada and Madam Joyce Ababio, President of JACCD Design Institute Africa were delighted for this great partnership which will offer opportunities for young people interested in owning their own business.
It is expected that the project will soon be launched after which the application portal will be opened for interested youth to apply.
Among other dignitaries that graced this occasion include Professor Samuel Adu – Prah, Faculty Senate Chair-Elect of Sam Houston State University in the United State of America; Professor Bernard Forjwuor, Undergraduate Director of Notre Dame University in the United State of America; Professor Gabriel Eshun, Technical Advisor of Tourism Ministry; Professor K. O. Appiah, Head of Department, Accounting and Finance, KNUST; Apostle Dr. Abraham Ofori – Kuragu, Former Member of National Media Commission; Mr. Norman Musengiman, CEO of BizSkills Academy in Canada; Mrs. Janet Edna Nyame, Executive Director of National Commission on Culture; and many others.
About CEDI Ghana
This is a non-profit making organization that addresses poverty and youth unemployment. CEDI sets the youth up, builds and grows their businesses through entrepreneurship training, mentorship, and funding. It is the lead partner to recruit and runthis project.
About Queen’s University
This is a public research university in Kingston, Ontario, Canada. It is the best university in Canada and 5th and 7th best in the World according to the 2021- and 2022-Times Higher Education Impact Rankings. The Dunin-Deshpande Queen’s Innovation Centre (DDQIC), on behalf of Queen’s University will be providingtraining, advice and guidance, an exchange program and others.
About Leadogo Incorporated
This is a group of Canadian business experts. They will provide online advisory and mentoring aid to Ghanaian youth entrepreneurs and students as they launch and grow their businesses.
About JACCD Design Institute Africa
This is West Africa and Ghana’s premier creative institution affiliated with the University of Cape Coast. They will host the in-person training.
