Beneficiary districts cautioned

Assin Nsuaem (C/R), July 18, GNA-Mr Kwasi Attah-Antwi, project co-ordinator, Rural Enterprises Project (REP) of the ministry of environment and science, on Monday cautioned that the project would be withdrawn from any beneficiary district if it became clear at any point that it was not getting the full co-operation of the assembly and other stakeholders.

He said REP therefore, expects a consistent demonstration of commitment from beneficiary district assemblies and clients during the period of its implementation.

Mr Attah-Antwi gave the warning at the opening of a two-day 'start-up workshop' on the REP for stakeholders in the Assin South district at Assin Nsuaem.

The workshop aims at providing a platform for the various stakeholders of the project to interact and brainstorm on the best approaches to its successful implementation in the district. It is being organised by the REP in collaboration with the National Board for Small Scale Industries (NBSSI), and attended by 160 participants, including members and staff of the assembly, local trade associations, youth and women's groups, and traditional authorities. Mr Attah-Antwi stated that the project was an integrated rural development package and that its overall goal, was poverty alleviation and the improvement in living conditions in rural areas. He said the project activities were therefore intended to be district-centred and district-owned for reasons of effectiveness, efficiency and sustainability and that the project services would be demand-driven for the four years' duration of the project in the district.

Mr Kwaku Adarkwah-Pepra, regional manager, NBSSI, for his part, said for medium and small- scale enterprises to play their expected role in the economic development process, the problems militating against their performance must be identified and appropriate interventions made to solve them.

He said, under the REP, the NBSSI would assist in providing training and education, information, advice, counselling and consultancy.

In a welcoming address, Ms Millicent Alice Kuranchie, the District Chief Executive, expressed gratitude to the ministry and the project management unit for selecting the district to participate in the phase two of the REP.

She gave the assurance that the district would provide the needed resources and support to ensure the successful implementation of the project, and that part of the assembly's poverty alleviation fund would be made available to assist beneficiaries.

Ms Kuranchie therefore, appealed to women and the vulnerable groups in the district to embrace the project and take advantage of the skill training programmes and services of the Business Advisory Centre to better their lot.