Patronize goods produced in your districts, say Minister

Sunyani, July 8, GNA - Ms Hannah Tetteh, the Minister of Trade and Industry, has appealed to Metropolitan, Municipal and District Chief executives to patronize goods produced in their areas to set a good example to the people.

The minister was addressing Municipal and District Chief executives and coordinating directors at a one day orientation seminar in Sunyani on Tuesday.

It was to equip them with information to enable them to lead and take full control of the implementation of the Rural Enterprise Project. She urged them not to disregard products made in their localities since the products are the outcome of people's toil. Ms Tetteh said it was only when people accept products made in their localities that others would patronize them.

The Minister told the participants about their campaign promises of creating a better Ghana, which the people believed and voted the NDC party into power and that the project was another way of creating employment opportunities for the people.

She urged the chief executives and co-coordinating directors to become leaders of the project to ensure its implementation to achieve the aim of improving the living conditions of the people. Mr. Kwadwo Nyamekye Marfo, the Brong-Ahafo Regional Minister, said the focus of women in the project was very laudable "since women are very good managers who can take very good care of the family and produce the needs of the household".

Mr. Kwasi Attach-Antwi, National Project Coordinator, said 66 districts were benefiting from the project, funded by the government of Ghana, the International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD) and the African Development Bank (AFDB).

He said the 29 million-dollar project since had 1995 become a strong force in employment generation and poverty reduction efforts in the country.

It is achieving its objective in building competitive micro and small scale enterprise sector in participating districts. He said the implementation unit could only be attained with the strong commitment, dedication and leadership of the district assemblies and appealed to the participants to lead and take full control of the implementation process.