News
16 certified dressmakers graduate in Sandema
The Foundation for Integrated Strategic Training and Development (FISTRAD), a Non-Governmental Organization (NGO), has graduated 16 apprentices after a three-year training programme in dressmaking.
The graduation ceremony attracted families, community leaders and well-wishers from far and near, who witnessed the achievement of their loved ones who acquired employable skills during the training period.
The graduates were awarded professional dressmaking certificates to enable them to establish their own fashion enterprises for a living.
FISTRAD established the training facility in Sandema in 1996 to train young people in weaving and dressmaking, with a library component stocked with books and computers for public use.
Mr Richard Alando, Executive Director of FISTRAD, commended the apprentices for their perseverance and urged them to use the acquired skills not only to earn a living but also to train others to help bridge the unemployment gap among the youth in the area.
He said the graduation highlighted FISTRAD’s commitment to skills development as a pathway to sustainable livelihoods and community transformation in Builsa land and beyond.
Mr Solomon Ansoabyie Akogti, Builsa North Municipal Chief Executive (MCE) and Special Guest of Honour, congratulated the graduates for successfully completing the programme and acknowledged the effective partnership between the Assembly and FISTRAD.
He said such partnerships were critical in reducing unemployment, enhancing the artisanal industry within the Municipality, and stressed the importance of vocational training to boost economic growth in the area.
Nab Akanfebanyuenta Asuik II, Chief of Wiaga and Chairman of the ceremony, commended FISTRAD’s contributions towards youth empowerment in the Builsa Traditional Area and beyond. -GNA
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National Democratic Congress (NDC) National Executive Committee member and Volta River Authority (VRA) Board Member, Wonder Victor Kutor, has described calls for the resignation of Foreign Affairs Minister Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa as premature and unjustified.
He argued that there was no evidence to establish that the minister had committed any wrongdoing to warrant such demands.
Speaking on Joy News in Accra on Wednesday, October 28, 2026, Mr Kutor questioned what had changed to justify the growing calls for the minister to step down.
He recalled that the Ranking Member on Parliament’s Foreign Affairs Committee, Samuel Abu Jinapor, had earlier indicated that the opposition was not accusing Mr Ablakwa of any wrongdoing.
Mr Kutor, therefore, challenged those demanding the minister’s resignation to provide fresh evidence to support their position.
“The call for the Minister to resign is premature, it is untenable. There is no evidence. I mean, what has he done wrong?” he questioned.
He added that documents, including boarding passes, airline receipts and flight manifests relating to the minister’s return journey, had been provided.
Mr Kutor expressed concern that the calls for Mr Ablakwa’s resignation could discourage young politicians from speaking out against corruption and advocating transparency.
According to him, politicians should not be targeted or maligned for demanding accountability, warning that such treatment could create the impression that speaking against corruption could later become a liability when one is appointed to public office.
He maintained that calling for accountability and transparency should not be used as grounds to target public officials without evidence of wrongdoing.
By: Jacob Aggrey
Ghana will host the Africa Festival of Arts, Culture and Creatives (AFESTAC) 2026 alongside Industrial Skills Week Africa (ISWA) 2026 in Accra from December 9 to 12, 2026.
On the back of these programmes, Minister of Tourism, Culture and Creative Arts, Abla Dzifa Gomashie, has called on corporate Ghana, the media and the general public to support the initiative through partnerships, sponsorships and active participation.
The events, supported by the African Union Development Agency (AUDA-NEPAD), will bring together stakeholders to celebrate Africa’s rich cultural heritage, strengthen the creative economy, promote industrial skills development and create employment opportunities for young people.
By Edem Mensah-Tsotorme
