President Initiates Fast-Track Projects for Jobs

President John Agyekum Kufuor has initiated exclusive projects to be implemented at a fast-track rate throughout the country to create job avenues for the youth and alleviate poverty, especially in the rural areas.

Mr Kwadwo Baah-Wiredu, Minister of Local Government and Rural Development announced this in a speech read for him at a farmers' forum at Awutu-Bawjiase in the Ewutu-Efutu Senya district.

The first of such projects, he said is the Corporate Village Enterprise (COVE) that seeks to establish large-scale export oriented ventures, to be collectively owned by farmers in rural communities and managed by high calibre professionals with proven managerial and technical expertise.

The Minister said he has been selected to supervise the first COVE under which cassava would be produced and processed into starch for export.

Mr Baah-Wiredu said about 2,500 farmers located within 25 kilometres radius in the district are to be registered as shareholders of the scheme and would be assisted to produce the raw material to feed the industry.

His Ministry has been charged to provide administrative and logistics support through the district assemblies, to ensure the successful implementation of project.

He said the President would ensure that projects he has initiated get off the ground by the end of the year, to enable the youth to contribute to the development of their respective communities.

Mr Baah-Wiredu urged the district assembly to make it possible for interested farmers to obtain land by next month for the cultivation of crops for the minor season.

Mr Osei Owusu-Agyeman, UNDP/Enterprise Africa representative, who is also the National Co-ordinator of COVE, educated the farmers on the essence of the project and advised them to embrace it.

He said the government has earmarked seven million dollars for the Bawjiase scheme, cassava processing machines and other equipment are expected in the country soon.

The industry would also serve as a source of animal feed for livestock farmers and the wastewater, a form of fertiliser, would be supplied free of charge to registered farmers. The shareholders who would be mainly farmers would be given the opportunity to determine the price of cassava.

Mr Owusu-Agyeman said government plans to extend the industry to other parts of the country depending on the success of the Bawjiase one.

Mr Nicolas Niiquaye, District Director of Agriculture assured prospective shareholders that his outfit would supply them with adequate improved variety of cassava sticks selected for the project.

Nai Kwao Otuo, Central Regional Chairmen of the Ghana National Association of Farmers and Fishermen (GNAFF) and Nai Kweku Osardu Bawjiasehene promised to release land for the project.