{
  "id": 796678,
  "title": "DTI graduates over 1,500 master crafts persons, SMES to drive formalisation of Ghana’s informal sector",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/08/13/dti-graduates-over-1-500-master-crafts-persons-smes-to-drive-796678",
  "topic": "business",
  "section": "Business",
  "published": "2026-08-13T18:40:57.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "Joy Business",
    "slug": "joy-business",
    "url": "https://www.myjoyonline.com/dti-graduates-over-1500-master-crafts-persons-smes-to-drive-formalisation-of-ghanas-informal-sector/"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": "In a significant move to formalize Ghana's informal sector and boost competition, the Design and Technology Institute (DTI) recently graduated over 1,500 Master Craft Persons (MCPs) and Small and Medium Enterprise (SME) owners from its Precision Quality (PQ) training programme. The event took place at the National Theatre in Accra and gathered government officials, development partners, industry stakeholders, financial institutions, and the graduates themselves to celebrate their accomplishments.\n\nThe DTI's partnership with the Mastercard Foundation aims to equip informal businesses with technical, business, and management skills. DTI Founder and President, Constance Elizabeth Swaniker, highlighted the program's transformative impact on Ghana's informal sector, stating that it improves product quality, business growth, and employment opportunities for young apprentices. The training program encompasses technical skills, business management, workplace safety, customer service, financial management, and digital tools, preparing participants for success in local and international markets.\n\nSwaniker emphasized that formalizing the informal sector is crucial to Ghana's industrial transformation, as the country's apprenticeship system currently serves as the primary source of skills development. By equipping master craftspeople with internationally recognized standards, the PQ programme aims to enhance employment opportunities for young people and increase sector productivity.\n\nThe PQ programme aligns with Ghana's Human Capital Development Strategy, which seeks to formalize the apprenticeship system through structured training, certification, and enterprise support. Graduates are required to engage apprentices or young employees, facilitating skills transfer to the next generation while expanding employment opportunities.\n\nGraduates expressed how the training has been a turning point for their businesses, strengthening technical competencies and improving understanding of key areas such as bookkeeping, customer relations, business planning, and quality assurance. They are confident that certification will enhance their businesses' credibility, attract more customers, and enable expansion.\n\nThe Accra graduation ceremony certified 1,583 MCPs and SME owners, with similar events planned in Ho and Kumasi as the DTI expands the program nationwide. The graduation program also featured beneficiary testimonies, discussions on financial inclusion, business registration, and the creation of an MCP Alumni Association to provide ongoing support and networking opportunities for graduates.",
  "summary": "Speaking to JoyBusiness on the sidelines of the event, Founder and President of DTI, Constance Elizabeth Swaniker, said the programme is transforming Ghana's informal sector by helping artisans improve the quality of their products, strengthen their businesses and create more opportunities for young apprentices.",
  "key_points": [],
  "editors_take": null,
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 2,
    "also_reported_by": [
      {
        "outlet": "MyJoyOnline Ghana",
        "title": "DTI graduates over 1,500 master crafts persons, SMES to drive formalisation of Ghana’s informal sector",
        "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/08/13/dti-graduates-over-1-500-master-crafts-persons-smes-to-drive",
        "published": "2026-08-13T18:40:57.000Z"
      }
    ]
  },
  "ai_generated": true,
  "disclaimer": "Summaries, key points and the editor’s take are written by software from other outlets’ reporting and may contain errors — always check the linked original."
}