Ministry improving lives of women and children

Bodwesango (Ash), April 8, GNA - The Ministry of Women and Children Affairs is resourcing women through loans to enable them to improve their living condition and that of their children.

Mr Peter K. Eduful, the Ashanti Regional Co-ordinator of the Ghana National Commission on Children (GNCC), who said this in a speech delivered on behalf of the Minister, Mrs. Gladys Asmah, added that the Ministry takes pride in seeing the improvement of the lives of women. Speaking at the passing out ceremony of 14 batik, tie and dye trainees at Bodwesango in the Adansi East district of Ashanti on Tuesday, Mr Eduful said it was gratifying to see ladies striving to acquire skills to enable them to become self-reliant.

The four-week training of the women became possible following a financial support of five million cedis from the Bodwesango Divisional Council.

The Regional GNCC Co-ordinator noted that parents are the primary caretakers of their children but regretted that financially weak families fail to play their parental roles efficiently.

"I therefore urge you who are graduating today and those yet to follow that with your acquired skills, your focus should be to leave a positive mark on the lifestyles of your children", Mr Eduful stressed. The Right-Reverend Benjamin Asare, the Methodist Bishop of Obuasi said taking care of the home is now not the sole responsibility of the man and therefore commended the women for organising themselves to learn a trade to support the family.

He, however, cautioned the women against directing loans to be granted them to the purchase of body make-ups and clothing.

Bishop Asare stressed, " The loans should be used to expand your business to gain more profit to improve upon your lives".

Nana Adu Ampoti Dwaa II, the regent of Bodwesango and the initiator of the project, announced that the trainees have resolved to form a co-operative group to enable them to access loans from the government and financial institutions.

He appealed to the women who sat on the fence when the programme started to come together to benefit from the training since the Bodwesango Divisional Council was prepared to assist them to earn a living. Nana Dwaa commended the trainer, Madam Yaa Anokyewaa of Fomena for her selfless devotion to duty "even at difficult times".

The first 10-yard batik cloth was auctioned at 500,000 cedis with Nana Kwabena Asante, the Adansihene's linquist chairing the ceremony.