Mr Kwabena Okyere Darko-Mensah, the Western Regional Minister, who made this known, expressed the resolve of the Region to prioritise the YouSTART by engaging the relevant stakeholders, SMEs and the youth for a successful roll out.

The Regional Minster, who was speaking to the media on a wide range of issues relating to unemployment, roads infrastructure, health as well as education in the Region, mentioned that the YouSTART had the potential of multiplying the investment given to the youth.

“The money given to the youth will multiply because they are expected to invest it in their businesses,” the Minister stated but cautioned beneficiaries of the initiative to use the monies given to them wisely to create jobs for others.

“To say that you do not have funds for your business will be a thing of the past”, he added.

Mr Darko-Mensah believed that the YouSTART initiative was the greatest opportunity that had happened to the youth of the country.

In that regard, he encouraged the youth in the Region to prepare adequately to take advantage of the initiative to create wealth for themselves and their families.

According to the Regional Minister, enough sensitisation and awareness had been done on the programme and stressed that the youth could not give excuses as to why they could not do anything for themselves and their families.

He said SMEs who were already in operations could also apply for funds to expand their businesses under the YouSTART initiative.

Responding to concerns of some residents in the Region regarding the poor road network, the Regional Minister said many roads were under construction and assured that the Region would see mass difference in the road profile by the end of the year.

The Minister also mentioned that the Shama junction and Mpohor- Apowa roads had been given to a new contractor as efforts were being made to secure funding for the Kojokrom-Eshiam road.

He also spoke about the Sekondi- Takoradi dual carriage roads and said the project would ease traffic considerably and shorten travel time for commuters in the metropolis.

He said the construction of the first three-tier interchange in the Sekond-Takoradi Metropolis at the Kwame Nkrumah Roundabout and the reconstruction of the Takoradi market circle would be completed by next year.

The Regional Minister added that the second phase of the project would have another interchange at the Paa Grant roundabout.

On educational infrastructure, he indicated that a total of 49 emergency school projects had been completed in the region while new NVTI schools were being constructed.

He said the government was investing a lot in education, noting that was the key that could unlock lots of opportunities.

On health, he said the rehabilitation of the Effia-Nkwanta government hospital was on course and the contractor had moved to site, adding that the agenda 111 project in region was also progressing steadily.