DCE expressed concern

Koforidua, Nov.7, GNA- The Birim North District Assembly has selected citrus, oil palm and rice for intensive cultivation to attract Presidential Special Initiative (PSI) for more job opportunities. The District Chief Executive Mr Victor Owusu Ahenkorah who announced this at the Birim North Day at the on-going "Eastern "Expo at Koforidua on Thursday, said loans would be granted to local investors to establish processing factories for the selected crops to enhance production.

Mr Ahenkorah expressed concern about the low recovery rate of loan granted under the Poverty Alleviation Fund (PAF) and warned defaulters in the district of legal action to retrieve the arrears.

He said to sustain the Fund the Assembly in consultation with traditional authorities had decided not to grant any loans to individuals but to groups, which would go into productive ventures to ensure that they pay back the loans on time.

The DCE for the Akuapem North District Assembly, Dr (Mrs) Eugenia Danquah-Quist said the district had the potentials in establishing factories to process and package gari and cotton.

She announced that gari produced from the district had attracted the international markets including Sierra-Leone.

The Akuapem North District marked its Day with a seminar to sensitise buyers and exhibitors on the need for behavioural change on the part of individuals to curb the spread of the HIV-AIDS.