The Kayayei Empowerment Programme, launched by Vice-President Dr. Mahamudu Bawumia in 2024, aimed at providing vocational training and transitional jobs for 5,000 female head porters (Kayayei) in Accra has suffered a serious setback.
The project has been abandoned by the current National Democratic Congress (NDC) administration, leaving the facility in a state of disrepair.
The programme was a joint effort involving government agencies, private enterprises, and civil society organizations to promote economic empowerment for marginalized women.
The training was structured as an intensive three-week module covering skills in baking, beading, personal healthcare, financial management, and entrepreneurship.
Each facility was meant to house 300 women, with additional hostels planned for Ashaiman, the Ashanti Region, and the Bono East Region.
Despite initial progress, the project has stalled, and the facility has been vandalized.
The National Youth Employment Agency (YEA) Coordinator for the Kayayei Program, Pearl Mawusi Broohm, in an encounter with Citi Fm acknowledged that while the initial target of training 5,000 women was not met, progress had been made.
However, the current administration’s lack of interest in the project has left its future uncertain.
The abandonment of the Kayayei Hostel has raised questions about the government’s commitment to empowering marginalized women.
The project’s failure to meet its initial target and the subsequent vandalism of the facility have left many wondering about the future of the initiative.
However, as the government’s inaction continues, the Kayayei Empowerment Programme remains a forgotten project, leaving thousands of female head porters without access to vital training and economic opportunities.
-BY Daniel Bampoe
