The Centre for Local Governance Advocacy (CLGA) with the support of the European Union (EU) has launched a multi-million cedi project aimed at economically empowering the most vulnerable and poorest people in four districts in the Bono East Region of Ghana. The project tagged ‘Promoting Access of Indigenous People to Decent Work and Social Protection’ (PRODESOP), aims to create employment for the poorest in the beneficiary districts of Pru East, Pru West, Kintampo South and Kintampo North. Its primary targets are women, youth and People with Disabilities (PWDs).

The project is focusing on ginger cultivation and developing its value chain in the Kintampo North municipality and Kintampo South district. This is to be achieved through the provision of critical infrastructure including ginger washing machines, processing facilities and holding units. In the Pru East and Pru West districts, the focus is on the fishing industry through the provision of a demonstration centre for trainings, floating cages, a processing unit (hatchery cum nursery) as well as cages and tanks for domestic fish cultivation.

At the launch of the project, the Deputy Minister for Local Government and Rural Development, Mr. Augustine Collins Ntim said, ‘It will create jobs for about 2,400 people who will be able to subscribe to the National Health Insurance Scheme (NHIS) and 600 others to access other existing pension schemes. The project is in tandem with the government’s flagship programmes of Planting for Food and Jobs (PFJ), Planting for Export and Rural Development (PERD), District Centre of Agriculture, Commerce and Technology (DCACT) and other social interventions, such as the Productive Inclusion (P/I), Labour Intensive Public Works (LIPW) and Livelihood Empowerment Against Poverty (LEAP), designed to ensure transformative change in the quality of lives of rural dwellers across the country’.

The Deputy Minister urged the beneficiaries to put the iracquired skills and knowledge to good use for the benefit of society. The Bono East Regional Minister, Mr Kofi Amoakohene, also praised the EU for introducing the project in the region and pledged his commitment to its success.

Source: Ghanaian Times

Photo source: Sean MacEntee