The National Entrepreneurship and Innovation Programme (NEIP) has inaugurated the Grant Management Committee of the Adwumawura Programme, a flagship youth entrepreneurship initiative aimed at transforming business ideas into sustainable enterprises that create jobs and economic value.
The ceremony, held under the auspices of the Ministry for Youth Development and Empowerment, brought together government officials, development partners, ecosystem actors, and members of the newly constituted committee.
Speaking at the event, the Minister for Youth Development and Empowerment, Hon. George Opare Addo, Esq., described the Adwumawura Programme as a strategic response to youth unemployment and a key pillar in strengthening entrepreneurship for national development.
He said the programme, launched last year by President John Dramani Mahama, supports about 10,000 youth-owned businesses annually through training, mentorship, and capacity building, with a commitment to provide grant support to at least 2,000 viable and scalable enterprises each year.
He revealed that since its inception, the programme has trained 10,887 young entrepreneurs through an intensive five-week nationwide training course.
Hon. Opare Addo outlined the extensive processes that led to the establishment of the programme, including its official launch on April 28, 2025, in Kumasi, the development of a robust online application portal by NEIP, and broad stakeholder engagements with government institutions, innovation hubs, ecosystem players, and financial institutions.
According to him, more than 120,000 applications were received nationwide, with over 10,000 submitted within the first 24 hours. Out of 48,528 successful preliminary applications, 16,318 were shortlisted for further assessment, culminating in the selection of 10,887 final beneficiaries. The selected cohort comprised 6,801 males and 4,077 females, including 245 persons with disabilities.
He further noted that NEIP developed a new Adwumawura Training Manual, selected 124 training partners nationwide, and conducted a Training-of-Trainers workshop to strengthen the capacity of hubs and facilitators.
The Chief Executive Officer of NEIP, Mr. Eric Adjei, Esq., said the Grant Management Committee was constituted to support the disbursement of grants to at least 2,000 viable and scalable businesses and to ensure that the process is administered with utmost integrity, fairness, and accountability.
“The Adwumawura Programme is designed to push youth entrepreneurship beyond ideas into innovative ventures that create jobs and economic value,” Mr. Adjei stated.
He assured the committee of NEIP’s full technical and institutional support to enable it to carry out its mandate effectively and called on all stakeholders to contribute to the success of the programme.
The Board Chair of NEIP also charged members of the committee to uphold the highest standards of professionalism, diligence, and ethical conduct, stressing that their responsibility is not merely administrative but strategic.
“This committee symbolizes an essential aspect of our collective effort to ensure transparency, accountability, and efficiency in the management of public resources entrusted to NEIP under the Adwumawura Programme,” the Board Chair said.
He expressed confidence in the expertise and judgment of committee members and assured them of the Board’s continuous support as they work to advance NEIP’s vision of empowering entrepreneurs and building a resilient and inclusive economy.
The Grant Management Committee is expected to play a critical role in safeguarding the integrity of the Adwumawura Programme and ensuring that public resources are channelled to businesses capable of growth, job creation, and sustainable impact.
The Chief Executive Officer of the National Youth Authority, lawyer Osman Abdulai Ayariga, and the Deputy Chief Executive Officer of NEIP, lawyer Joan Selasie Ahiawordor, among others, were part of the ceremony.
Inaugurating the committee, Hon. George Opare Addo urged members to discharge their responsibilities with professionalism, independence, and the highest ethical standards, emphasizing that transparent and inclusive grant selection and disbursement processes are essential to the success of the programme, particularly for women, young people, and persons with disabilities.
The Adwumawura Programme remains a cornerstone of the government’s youth entrepreneurship agenda, with stakeholders expressing optimism that the work of the Grant Management Committee will further strengthen accountability and public confidence in the initiative.
Story by Osman Issah Abadoo
