"Our Gov'ts Are Not Courageous" - Dr. Amoah

Dr. Kofi Amoah, a Presidential aspirant on the ticket of the Ghana Democratic Republican Party (GDRP) in 1992, has criticized Ghanaian governments for not having the "courage to implement" what they preach and called on them to "stop talking" and move into action".

He urged the government to be ready to take up challenges, other than that 'we would not become part of the civilised society".


Dr. Kofi Amoah, who is also the Africa Representative of Western Union Money Transfer and Chief Executive Officer of Progeny Ventures, was speaking to a cross section of the press after the graduation of 120 participants in a one week entrepreneurial skills course at Gomoa Nyanyano in the Central Region.


The participants drawn from various remote communities across the country were equipped with skills like sewing, tie and dye, cosmetics, craft, and hat making under the Ghana Skills Acquisition Initiative/Programme (GHASAP). The workshop was made possible by Madam Hawa Yakubu, Member of Parliament for Bawku Central and sponsored by Dr. Peter Odili, Governor of Rivers State, Nigeria.


Dr. Amoah said the failure of African leaders to mobilize their resources to assist ordinary people has caused the retrogression of the continent.


He expressed gratitude for the gesture of the Governor of Rivers State for assisting Ghanaian women to acquire skills and said African governments should utilise NEPAD to support each other. He urged the participants to use the Africa Growth and Opportunity Act (AGOA) to channel their products into the American market.

Dr. Amoah donated C50 million to the propramme on behalf of Western Union Money Transfer Company.


Madam Hawa Yakubu said it is time for organizers to move from talks at workshops to practically train the people to know how to be self-sustaining.


She said the programme was originally meant to benefit the women of Bawku but due to the crisis in the area, it was shifted to the Central region adding that the participants would receive money that would enable them to go back to their communities and start their personal business. She appealed to them to help train others in their towns who were not able to benefit from such programmes.


She said the course was initially made for only 65 people but at the end it recorded about 120 participants, indicating the interest of the people to be equipped with skills.


Mr. Danjuma Sheni, Representative, Nigeria High Commission in Ghana, said the exercise shows the level of cooperation between Ghana and Nigeria.

He promised that his outfit would support the continuity of the programme so that it could be replicated in all the regional capitals.


Mr. David Aidoo, Special Assistant to the Minister of Women and Children's Affairs, said women should be empowered economically to help in household keeping.


He said the ministry has set up a Women Development Fund to give micro-finance support to women and called on NGOs to help vulnerable individuals in their communities. . The Nigeria High Commissioner and Mr. Kwamena Bartels, Minister for Private Sector Development donated 10 sewing machines each.