Poverty Reduction Fund not gift from government - DCE

The District Chief Executive for Assin, Mr Kwabena Karikari Apau, on Thursday stated that the HIPIC and Poverty Reduction funds disbursed especially among women groups to engage in income generating activities were not rewards from the government in the name of consolidation of constitutional rule in Ghana.

Speaking at the launching of the third Constitution Week celebrations in the Assin District at Assin Foso, Mr Apau said these monies were loans re-payable, so that other persons could also benefit.

The DCE who was answering a questioner during an open forum at the function said about 60 million cedis had so far been disbursed through the Small Business Advisory Council in the district to income generating and employment ventures and stressed that the loans are not meant for individuals.

In his launching address, Mr Apau appealed to Ghanaians to abide by the principles of The Constitution of Ghana and play their expected roles well.

He urged the people to offer constructive criticisms and assist the government of the day as their contribution to constitutional democracy in the country.

Miss Annan Nunoo, Vice Principal (Academic) of the Foso Training College, who spoke on the topic; "The role of women in consolidating constitutional rule in Ghana," asked women to use their numbers to take leading role in governance.

She said since education played a crucial role in dictating governance in any country there was the need for all to put emphasis on the education of the girl child.

Mr Thomas Yallow, District Director of the NCCE said more copies of the constitution and abridged versions in the local languages had been put into circulation to enable the public to have access to it to enable them move abreast with it.

He denied that the Commission for Human Rights and Administrative Justice was a duplication of the functions of the courts and pointed out that it was rather a new institution established by the 1992 constitution to complement the functions of other organs of state.