In a significant step toward inclusive economic growth in northern Ghana, the EMPOWED Initiative was officially launched on Friday at the Regional House of Chiefs in Bolgatanga under the Ghana Women and Youth Employment and Social Cohesion (GWYESCO) Project.
Delivered by Ms. Joan Selassie Ahiawordor, Esq., Deputy Chief Executive Officer of the National Entrepreneurship and Innovation Programme (NEIP), the launch marks the second major rollout of the dual-track GWYESCO Project within days. The CREATE Initiative was unveiled in Tamale on 28 October and focuses on digital skills, ethical content creation, cultural heritage promotion, and hospitality and tourism. EMPOWED now complements that effort by combining Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET) with tailored Business Development Services (BDS).
Speaking to representatives of Metropolitan, Municipal and District Assemblies, traditional authorities, organisations of persons with disabilities, women’s groups, and the media, Ms. Ahiawordor framed the initiative as a deliberate response to persistent barriers. “Despite their ambition, many women and persons with disabilities continue to encounter systemic barriers in accessing vocational training, business support and viable economic avenues,” she said. “The EMPOWED Initiative was intentionally designed to break these gaps and create clear pathways towards inclusive, meaningful economic participation.”
The broader GWYESCO Project spans seven regions, Upper East, Upper West, Northern, North East, Savannah, Central, and Eastern, and rests on two complementary pillars. While CREATE builds digital and creative capacities, EMPOWED equips participants with practical vocational skills and business tools covering planning, customer relations, financial management and market access. The goal is not merely certification but measurable outcomes: new enterprises, expanded existing businesses, or sustainable employment.
Ms. Ahiawordor emphasised that empowerment extends beyond technical competence. It is about restoring confidence and purpose, enabling participants to “discover their full potential and apply their talents productively.” She highlighted the particular stakes for women in the Upper East Region, describing them as “the backbone of household stability and community growth.” A woman who acquires marketable skills through the programme, she noted, gains the capacity to contribute to household costs, invest in her children’s education and, as her enterprise grows, create jobs for others, generating a ripple effect that transforms entire communities.
Equally central is the full inclusion of persons with disabilities. “Having a disability must never be a barrier to developing talents, starting a business or leading a fulfilling life,” Ms. Ahiawordor stated. Accessibility, dignity and inclusion, she stressed, will remain non-negotiable throughout implementation.
While training and business support form the foundation, she cautioned that long-term impact depends on participants’ own resolve. “Building a sustainable enterprise requires dedication, patience, strategic thinking and continuous learning. I therefore ask every beneficiary to approach this opportunity with determination and a passion for growth.”
The dual launches of CREATE and EMPOWED signal a coordinated national effort to convert skills into livelihoods and to ensure that women and persons with disabilities are not left on the margins of Ghana’s economic transformation. With the Upper East Region now hosting the EMPOWED rollout, attention turns to translating the launch momentum into tangible results on the ground.
Source: Mybluewavesonline.Com| Maurice Duncan | Bolgatanga
