Northern smock to be promoted by UN

The United Nation’s Joint Programm on Human Security (UNJHS) has nurtured an innovative idea of promoting, marketing and rebranding the Northern smock for the local and the international markets so as to increase income for weavers and create jobs for the youth.

Mr. Kwame Asante, National Programmes Coordinator for the United Nations Industrial Development Organization said the UNJHS was leading the formulation of ideas that would come out with a blue print on a craft center to be established for all smock weavers from Daboya, Tamale and Yendi.

He said the craft center when established, would be the one-stop shop for all brands of smocks and other artifacts for the local and the international markets.

Mr. Asante was addressing some smock weavers in Tamale on Tuesday drawn from Daboya, Yendi and the Tamale metropolis, saying that the joint body of the UN would help the District Assemblies come out with proposals and link them to various sources of funding to set up the craft center.

He said it was very imperative for the Northern Region to set up the craft center to showcase the Northern smock saying that the Bonwire craft center and the Bolga craft centers should serve as sources of motivation for the region.

Mr. Ernest Asigri, UNJHS Field Coordinator said the craft center could create larger local, national and international marketing opportunities that would promote and enhance business, culture and tourism.

He said it would also be a potential for increasing income for the District Assemblies stressing that the UN human security programmes intended to give employment opportunities to the youth thereby reducing conflicts.

Mr. Asigri said Tamale was a fast growing metropolis attracting more business activities and must therefore develop quality value chain for the smock industry.

He said through competition among the weavers, there would be quality end- product of the smock that would be marketed technologically to the international market.

He said the weavers would also have easy access to micro finance to enhance their businesses.

Mr. San Nasamu Asabigi, Deputy Northern Regional Minister noted that the idea of promoting the Northern smock was long overdue and entreated the weavers to add quality to their produce.

He said there was the need for the Tamale Metropolis to be well planned and redesigned to meet the growing needs of the area.

Mr. Asabigi advised that the local people and the smock weavers must be consulted constantly about any attempt in developing a craft center for the smock industry, adding that such consultations would avoid situations where structures would be put up but people failing to occupy them as happened in some areas. **