One hundred and twenty-nine Master Craftsmen in tailoring and dressmaking have completed a three month orientation course in modern tailoring and dressmaking techniques, management practices and simple records keeping skills.
The course organized by the Ghana National Tailors and Dressmakers Association was to improve and develop the technical and managerial skills of the Master Craftsmen of the Association.
At a graduation ceremony in Kumasi at the weekend, Mr Osei Asibey Bonsu, the Ashanti Regional Chairman of the Association said the course has also seen 60 other Master Craftsmen graduating from the Obuasi district this year.
He observed that the programme demanded a lot of sacrifice from both the executives and members of the Association, so that the requisite skills and techniques would be imparted to members in the profession.
Mr Bonsu said with the second phase completed, the Association would continue to organize more orientation course to enable all members acquire the requisite professional skills training in modern tailoring and dress making.
Mr Asamoah Duodu, Acting Director of the Technical and Vocational Education and Training of the Ministry of Education, Science and Sports commended the graduates for their efforts and urged them to be proactive, stressing however that, the profession has a future.
He urged the members to identify themselves with all the activities and programmes of the Association and offer quality service and be truthful, so that they would win the confidence of their customers.
Madam Alice Botchway, Ashanti Regional Director of the National Council on Women and Development (NCWD) urged the graduates to offer the best of training techniques to their apprentices.
She called on them to be sincere, honest and render good services to their clients, and stressed the need for them to cultivate good habits of savings, so that they would be able to plough back their profits to expand their business.
Mr Ebenezer Yiadom Boakye, former Ashanti Regional Chairman of the Association, who presided asked the graduates to be committed and display a high level of professionalism in their work.
He said there is dignity in the profession and as such they needed to be proud with the work at all levels as experts who clothe people, "without you people can not be as they are, no matter their social status".
Mr Joe Akomeah Antwi, the Regional Organizer of the Association advised members to endeavour to honour their tax obligations to enable the government raise funds for development projects.
Nana Opoku Agyeman, Chief of Asenemaso near Kumasi who deputized for the Bantamahene, urged the graduates to be committed to the welfare and development of their apprentices and lead good lives worthy of emulation.
GNA
AAJ/DA
1 Nov. 08

NSOC 06
Social Court Damage
Mason before court for allegedly burning mother-in-law's property

Cape Coast Nov. 1, GNA - A 38-year old mason from Yamoransa who allegedly set his mother-in-law's property ablaze, was on Tuesday granted GH¢20,000.00 bail by a circuit court in Cape Coast .
Kofi Awotwe who pleaded not guilty to causing damage, would re-appear on Thursday November 6.
Chief Inspector David Darkoh told the court presided over by Mr Beresford Acquah that sometime this year, a misunderstanding arose between the accused and his wife, who left her marital home with their daughter to stay with her mother at Amissakrom near Anomabu.
He also alleged that on September 27, Awotwe sent a message to the wife to come back home because he had missed her, and she obliged.
Chief inspector Darkoh further alleged that when she arrived with their daughter, Awotwe attempted to pick her up, but the wife refused with the explanation that she was sick, and later left for church.
The prosecutor further alleged that this infuriated the accused who threatened his wife that he will "commit a deadly crime", and later went to his mother-in-law's house where he set the house ablaze.
According to Chief Inspector Darkoh, among the items destroyed were a computer, suitcases, sewing machines, certificates and some pieces of cloth, while part of the building was also damaged.
He said a witness who saw Awotwe, asked him to assist in extinguishing the fire but he refused and the matter was reported to the police.