Nfantseman fishmongers undergo training in other vocations

Saltpond, July 30, GNA - The Department of Community Development in the Mfantseman District is training members of four fishmongers associations in beads, powder, pomade and soap making to enable the women to generate some funds to support their families during the fishing off-season.

Madam Janet Ennim, District Officer of the department who initiated the formation of the association said the move was to alleviate the plight of the women who were compelled to feed their families when their husbands were out of job during the off-season.

Speaking to the Ghana News Agency at a joint meeting of the association at Saltpond, Madam Ennim said since the women could not get any financial support from their husbands during the period, they were compelled to borrow and some even sold their valuables to raise some money to meet their commitments.

"It is to avoid this unfortunate situation that we have decided to train them to acquire skills in these income generating ventures," she said.

Madam Ennim said members of the associations, formed about 15 years ago, had been benefiting from loans granted by the Afro-Asian Rural Development Organisation (AARDO) through the Ministry of Local Government and Rural Development each year.

Mrs Elizabeth Acquah, secretary of the Executive Council of the associations said marketing of anchovies, (popularly called Keta school boys) had been the major problem facing the women and appealed to poultry farmers to contact the Association for their supplies. She appealed to the Ministry of Women and Children's Affairs and financial institutions to help the women with loans to enable them buy more fish for preservation and storage during the fishing season. Madam Araba Mansa, Chairperson of the Council commended Madam Ennim for her efforts to improve their standard of living and appealed to other women who were not members of the association to join.