BIA EAST DISTRICT: More than 200 apprentice trainees in the Bia East District of the Western North Region have received start-up kits following a skills training exercise aimed at fostering entrepreneurship and improving local livelihoods. The initiative, led by District Chief Executive Nicholas Yayin Niper, comes as part of a project funded by the Ghana Enterprise Agency (GEA) in collaboration with the Master Card Foundation. According to Ghana News Agency, the project is designed to support trainees in establishing their own businesses across various trades, including masonry, hairdressing, sewing, bread baking, tiling, auto electronics, fitting, and vulcanizing. The District Chief Executive, who is also the parliamentary candidate for the constituency, praised the initiative's potential to uplift youth who lack financial resources to start businesses post-apprenticeship. He committed to ensuring the kits are used effectively. Hajia Habiba Sumani, Regional Director of the GEA, highlighted the significance of the 'business in the box project,' a collaborative effort with Master Card Foundation, as a key component of Ghana's strategy under President Akuffo Addo to provide employment opportunities for the youth. Since 2017, the GEA has facilitated the creation of over 109,471 jobs, with 67 percent of beneficiaries being women. The Regional Director emphasized that the startup kits would empower trainees to build sustainable enterprises and encouraged them to utilize available resources and seek support from the district's business advisory center if needed. Beneficiaries expressed gratitude for the initiative and pledged to maximize the investment. They also urged district residents to support the government and the chief executive in his parliamentary bid to extend similar opportunities to others.