The Local Enterprises and Skills Development Program (LESDEP) has successfully graduated 1,000 trainees at a ceremony in Accra. The beneficiaries have been well equipped with marketable acumen in various business portfolios to make a living for  themselves and contribute to the development of the economy.

Speaking at the passing-out ceremony, Samuel Ofosu-Ampofo, Minister for Local Government and Rural Development, said, the active collaboration with the private sector is a demonstration of government`s commitment to partner with the youth for sustainable development.

The minister expressed confidence that with the support of LESDEP, enterprises set up by the graduates will grow to employ more people and also enhance the living standards of people irrespective of where they found themselves.

He revealed that LESDEP is still devising new modules to cater for professionals and middle level personnel to resolve the problem of graduate unemployment. In the coming modules, past national service personnel would be engaged for a year`s internship in their various fields of specialty for possible absorption by the Metropolitan, Municipal and District Assemblies, (MMDAs). Mr. Ofosu-Ampofo reiterated that, LESDEP will decentralise its training and equipment assistance at the various MMDAs.

The various fields of the LESDEP programme includes, Laptop and mobile phone assembly/repair, catering, fashion, photography, intra-city goods transport services, farm gate transport services, constructional services, aquaculture, honey production, beads making, goods distribution vans, sales van, mobile car washing services among others which thousands youths are expected to benefit from.