Some 110,000 new jobs to be created

Kumasi, July 17, GNA- About 110,000 new jobs are expected to be created in 65 districts within the next eight years under the Phase Two of the Rural Enterprises Project (REP II).

Funded jointly by the International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD), African Development Bank (AFDB) and the government of Ghana, the project focuses on the development of small-scale enterprises through skills and entrepreneurial training and micro-credit.


It targets the rural unemployed, particularly the youth and women as well as the self-employed who require skills upgrading and funding to expand businesses.


Mr Mohammed Manssouri, IFAD Representative in-charge of Ghana, made this known at a workshop of the REP II for stakeholders from all the 10 regions in Kumasi on Thursday.


He said by the end of the period about 65,000 small-scale enterprises would have been established in the operational areas. Mr Manssouri said IFAD was supporting 12 different operations in the country with 136 million dollars, making Ghana's portfolio the largest in Africa.


The fund, under the enhanced HIPC Initiative, has granted a debt relief of 26 million dollars to the country.

These, he said, showed the commitment of IFAD towards the reduction of poverty and the improvement of income levels of the people. Professor Kassim Kasanga, Minister of Environment and Science, said it was the aim of the government and its development partners to ensure the sustainability of the project even after the financiers had pulled out.


He said it was satisfying that the project's implementation would be integrated into the existing institutional structures of the beneficiary districts.


The district assemblies and other stakeholders are expected to contribute resources into the setting up as well as funding operations of the district-based Business Advisory Centres and existing Rural Technology Service Centres.


The Minister drew attention to the need for judicious use of the project resources and efficient loan recovery.


Prof Kasanga identified finance as a major problem facing the local small-scale enterprises and said procedures for loan administration should, therefore, be streamlined and made simple to make it easier for people to access.

The banks should also device measures to intensify loan collection and recover overdue loans for recycling to cover more people. He cautioned the project managers and clients to be mindful of the long-term ecological impact of accelerating specific kinds of small-scale industrial activity particularly in the transitional zone, saying, "Activities that contribute significantly to the depletion of vegetation will simply be unacceptable".


Miss Esther Kasalu-Coffin of the AFDB said vibrant small-scale enterprises could significantly transform the rural economies. She called on the project managers to ensure strict compliance with procurement procedures as well as regular submission of monitoring and audit reports.


Mr Kwasi Attah-Antwi, the project Co-ordinator, said the Phase One of the project, which ended in December last year exceeded its target of reaching out to 150,000 clients by 30,000.


He said most of the beneficiaries are involved in enterprises like metal works, welding and fabrication, carpentry, gari-processing, palm-oil production, cassava-flour based confectionery, soap and powder making, leather works, grass cutter rearing and batik, tie and dye production.