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Support agribusiness to create jobs – Wa women
• The MCE and some digintaries interacting with beneficiaries at the programme
Young women in agricultural business (agribiz) in the Upper West Region have said that with adequate support from stakeholders, the sector would be able to expand and help reduce youth employment to the barest minimum in the region and the nation at large.
The young women who are already making strides in their respective ventures ranging from crop production to converting agricultural produce into semi-finished and finished products for sale, believe that if they had access to the needed technical support and logistics, they would be able to make more impact.
At a meeting to mark the end of a project christened “Female-led Agribusiness Project”, (FLAP) which supported eight female-led agri-businesses at Wa, Ms Doris Siibu, a beneficiary of FLAP said the support she received from the project enabled her to expand her vocation.
Doris who was adjudged the best female farmer in the Nadowli-Kaleo District at the 2022 Farmers’ Day celebration said the provision of logistics such as tricycle and technical support by FLAP enabled her to engage more hands and expand her farm to 50 acres leading to the increase and the size of her livestock.
The young farmer in charge of Resource Farms said hitherto, it was difficult conveying items to the farm but the tricycle changed the narrative, adding that females in agriculture were faced with lot of challenges and such direct support was necessary for their growth.
Estimated at a cost of GH₵256,336 the FLAP, implemented by Plan International Ghana with support from the Australian High Commission, supported agri-businesses such as Poyaare Naturals, Resource Farms, Kobaa-Ok Farms, Sung Pumpkin, Miga Glow, Royal-Avielle Honey, Inspired Legacy and Influx and Spill Products
The small scale agri-businesses produced items such as packaged shea butter, body scrub, soap, hair pomade and body lotions from shea butter, among others.
The Project Lead of FLAP, Ms Harriet Elorm Setsoafia said that the mo tive of the project was to empower young female-led agribusiness with entrepreneurial knowledge, skills, resources and network to improve and scale up their ventures.
Second Secretary and Consul at the Australian High Commission in Ghana, Ms Harriet Williams who visited the ventures of some of the beneficiaries earlier, expressed satisfaction with the results and said it would enhance the quest for women empowerment.
The Municipal Chief Executive (MCE) of Wa, Alhaji Issahaku Tahiru Moomen who chaired the meeting, challenged the young ladies to use the resources and technical expertise acquired to grow their businesses.
Some other beneficiaries lauded the project and said the mentorship provided them with adequate knowledge on branding, packaging and marketing.
From Lydia Darlington Fordjour, Wa
The Member of Parliament for Ofoase Ayirebi, Kojo Oppong Nkrumah, has disbursed GHS134,000 to 22 students under the latest round of his Scholarship and Bursaries Programme.
According to a statement from his office, the 22 beneficiaries are enrolled in 16 tertiary institutions across the country.
They are studying various courses, including medicine, marketing, law, public health, midwifery, business administration, education, and secretaryship.
The MP’s office commended the beneficiaries, especially the five students currently studying medicine and physician assistantship, encouraging them to remain committed to their studies.
The statement indicated that the scholarship initiative, which began in 2017, aims to support brilliant but needy students from the Ofoase Ayirebi Constituency to further their education. So far, about 700 students have benefited from the program.
By: Jacob Aggrey
Four tricycle operators, popularly known as ‘Pragya’, have been prosecuted and fined GH¢600 each equivalent to 50 penalty units by the Accra Metropolitan Assembly (AMA) Sanitation Court for obstructing public roads at the Agbogbloshie Market.
The offenders, who were arrested by Public Health Officers of the AMA during a routine enforcement exercise, pleaded guilty to the offence and were subsequently convicted by the court.
The four operators were among the 21 offenders recently arrested at the Agbogbloshie Market for various sanitation and public order violations, including selling on open drains, obstructing walkways, and trading at unauthorised locations.
Speaking after the court proceedings, the Head of Public Health at the AMA, Madam Florence Kuukyi, said the court was lenient with the offenders since it was their first appearance, hence the fine, and warned that subsequent offenders would face stiffer penalties, including imprisonment.
