A mobile application designed to expand employment opportunities for local artisans working in Ghana's building and construction industry has been launched in Accra.
Dubbed “Professionalisation of Artisans (ProfArts)”, the mobile application connects artisans directly with customers securely and practically.
It was launched by the German Development Cooperation, in collaboration with the Ghana Institution of Engineering (GhIE), Robert Bosch Ghana and Consolidated Bank Ghana Limited.
Features
The ProfArts Mobile Application offers a range of features, including secure profiles for artisans and clients, a search function by location and type of service, and real-time messaging for service discussions.
The mobile application also has booking tools with calendar synchronisation, integrated payment options, and a rating system for both artisans and customers to strengthen trust, transparency and service quality across the sector.
The ProfArts project was initiated five years ago under the Special Initiative Decent Work for a Just Transition, operating under the Invest for Jobs brand, an initiative of the German Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ).
The project is implemented by Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ) GmbH in close cooperation with GhIE, Robert Bosch Ghana, Consolidated Bank Ghana Limited, UVEX Safety Germany and other supporting partners.
Through the project, over 2,000 artisans have so far received support through practical skills upgrading, business and financial literacy and digital skills training to strengthen their operations.
Over 700 artisans have also gained national certification, and more than 1,300 have been licensed under the Ghana Institution of Engineering Craftsmen Register.
Speaking at the launch in Accra on Wednesday, a Policy Advisor at the German Embassy, Chantel Kristin Lahmer, underscored the value of combining skills development with digital innovation.
“The ProfArts Application builds on existing achievements by helping artisans secure fairer working conditions, expand their customer base and deliver professional services that meet industry standards,” she stated.
Commitment
The Executive Director of GhIE, Samuel Magnus Asiedu, reaffirmed the institution's commitment to improving skills, trust and market access for artisans.
He acknowledged the role of the ProfArts project in onboarding craftsmen onto the GhiE register, in line with legal requirements and welcomed the next phase of collaboration with GIZ, which would focus on further capacity building, licensing and onboarding new artisans onto the mobile application.
The launch took place as Ghana and Germany mark 50 years of economic cooperation.