Netherlands embassy officials visits NBU project Hub

Deputy Head of Missions for Netherland Embassy – Ghana Katha Masseur has paid an official visit to the NBU Project Hub located within Asokore Mampong Municipality in Ashanti region.

This was a follow-up to last year’s courtesy call paid at the same hub by Netherland government’s high commissioner His Excellency Ron Striker.

Reasons for this year’s visit was to explore the various hubs in Ghana and find out if there is the possibility for the Netherland government to collaborate with the various hubs in Ghana and to also launch a program dubbed Orange Cornered, an initiative of the Dutch government aimed at training young entrepreneurs and help them network among themselves as done in countries including Angola and South Africa.

NBU Project hub was the last point of call after Katha Masseur made similar visits to five hubs in Accra and two in Kumasi.

During the visit Madam Esther Matey, NBU Project Coordinator officially introduced the Dutch team to the SOS Program’s Director -Kumasi Mr. Bernard, SOS Villages Director -Kumasi Mr. Eric Lartey, Municipal Planning Officer Mr. Eric Anarfi and Hon Alidu Siedu MCE for Asokore Mampong.

Briefing the Deputy Head of Missions and her delegation, Madam Esther Matey informed that the NBU Project is a collaborative project between SOS Children’s Villages – Ghana, SOS Children’s Villages- Netherlands and Asokore Mampong municipal assembly with support from the European Union.

She disclosed in her statement the goal of the project which is the stimulation of economic growth within the municipality.

NBU project as disclosed by her revolves around objectives including entrepreneurial and employability training for 500 youths within the municipality, strengthening collaboration between the assembly, private sector, civil society and citizens for the promotion of social accountability and transparency.

In a response to a question posed by Katha Masseur on how NBU project is handling issues related to women empowerment, Esther Matey made a quick indication that of the 500 youths, 65% is targeted at women, adding that the project is poised towards training marginalised and vulnerable women to make them economically independent.

She underscored the promotion of gender equality as one of the focal areas of the project, announcing that facilitators of the project have planned to collaborate with Care Ghana, a non governmental organisation to create a platform where women who have made it in life will inspire others through the sharing of their experience and success.

Madam Ether Matey announced that the project will at the end of this month undertake a networking event on early marriage and that the event will sensitize participants on the need to desist from practices that amount to early childhood marriage.

“NBU Project also seeks to address conflict resolution and conflict management since the municipality has a lot of security issues that need to addressed” he averred.

Katha Masseur, Deputy Head of Missions at the Netherland embassy in an interview with THE PRESS RADIO expressed satisfaction in the impact made through the NBU Project so far and what it seeks to achieve.

She indicated that the Netherlands government is ready to offer financial assistance to existing hubs bearing a mark of excellent delivery through collaboration.

Source: Thepressradio.com/ Enock Akonnor