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Mr Kofi Opoku-Manu, the Ashanti Regional Minister, has stressed the Government's determination to step up skills training for the youth to enable them to become economically self supporting. He said challenges facing the Integrated Community Centres for Employable Skills (ICCES) would be tackled with urgency and seriousness. The Centres provide trainees with a three-year course in traditional trades like carpentry, masonry, dressmaking and hairdressing leading to the award of National Vocational Training Institute (NVTI) trade Certificate. Established under the Manpower, Youth and Employment Ministry, there are 59 of such centres throughout the country. Mr Opoku-Manu, addressing workers and foreign volunteers of the ICCES at the Regional "best worker awards" ceremony/annual get-together in Kumasi, said they were playing a critical role in national development. He therefore urged the Managers and Instructors to continue to work hard and to be dedicated and assured them that everything would be done to motivate them and help to improve the quality of training. Mr Stephen Victor Apraku Mensah, ICCES National Director, paid tribute to the workers for their sense of commitment and sacrifice to support the government to move vocational training to a higher pedestal. He said there are plans to include mechanized farming to the course content of the centres. Nana Anthony Boateng, the Regional Coordinator, called for improvement of their working conditions to help attract qualified instructors. He said the poor salary paid to them was a major disincentive and this must be addressed. Mr Edmund Pinto of Afoako in the Amansie Central District was adjudged the best Centre Manager in the region and took home a 24-inch television set as his prize. The best Regional Instructor award went to Mrs Margaret Obeng of Baworo ICCES in Ejisu-Juaben Municipality and she received a 14-inch television.