BUSINESS AND ENTREPRENEURSHIP
I strongly believe that entrepreneurship is one of the key solutions to unemployment and financial freedom among the youth. This initiative is as a result of statistics showing unemployment rate at an approximated value of 4.51% of the country’s total labour force, taking into consideration the unemployment rate as indicated, the best solution is to equip the youth to be able to bridge the unemployment gap. Most Ghanaian youth have the potential to setup Small and Medium Scale Enterprises (SME’s) but guidance, training, and Funds are some of the major issues hindering business development among the Youth. In proposing solutions to the aforementioned problems; guidance, training and ways to secure funds must be taught out to the youth, especially tertiary students for them to establish themselves after graduating from school. This is the reason for the adoption of business and entrepreneurship in my policies. That the resources of the SRC will be efficiently utilized to organize;
➢ Entrepreneurship Forums; Forums are known to be avenues for exchange of ideas. This platform is chosen to help Students of Koforidua Technical University (KTU) to tap ideas from prospective entrepreneurs. Also, to share with the students some challenges that is accompanied with starting of a business. Share their experience and to make the students understand the concept of small beginnings.
➢ Business Pitch; the purpose of this initiative is to offer KTU students the opportunity to pitch their business ideas in the hope of commercializing to obtain funds from investors and loan facilitators to operationalize and scale their businesses. It is meant to support young people who have business ideas but do not have the money to execute those ventures. I intend to deal with this challenge by bringing partnered banks of the SRC, National Entrepreneurship and Innovation Programme (NEIP) on board to finance the most prioritize business idea.
➢ Youth in Agriculture Program; with regards to Agriculture being the backbone of the country’s economy, the Ministry of Food and Agriculture (MoFA) has identified that the nexus/connection between agriculture development and Ghana’s ability to achieve its food and nutrition security goals are inextricably linked. Therefore the agriculture sector has become a lucrative venture where students of KTU can involve themselves to secure some form of future earnings. It is evident that we do not offer agriculture programs here in KTU but is believed this will be a platform for additional skills, and dynamism into our system.
The PEASE Policy is aimed at changing the face of managing students’ welfare by directly imparting skills that will prepare them for the job market and make students fit to stand on their grounds to establish their businesses after graduation. The PEASE Policy is a game changer therefore I urge all and sundry to develop interest in this policy and make it come to pass.
JESSIE SASU ASANTE
SRC PRESIDENT HOPEFUL 21/22
