Rural Project to create 1,000 jobs launched at Agormanya

Agormanya (ER), April 7, GNA - A Rural Enterprise Project (REP), which is billed to assist in creating about 1,000 new rural-based jobs for the people of Manya-Krobo was on Friday launched at Agormanya, near Odumase in the Manya Krobo District of the Eastern Region. The 29.2-million-dollar project, which is currently underway in some 40 districts, focuses on initiating and sustaining a rural-based economy in critical sectors such agriculture, bio-diversity, soap and pomade making, among others.

It synergies the efforts of the people of the implementing district assemblies and the Ministry of Environment and Science into one whole as to what development projects could be executed in the rural areas without sacrificing the integrity of the environment, while ensuring their long-term sustainability.

The Eastern Zonal Co-ordinator of the REP, Mr Kwasi Attah-Antwi who launched the project, advised the people to take advantage of the offer and rid themselves of penury instead waiting for a "miracle." He said it was time poor people started making more serious efforts aimed at getting themselves out of the poverty cycle, saying the project offered them the opportunity of transforming their lives from a state of despondency to one of hope. Mr Attah-Antwi, however, noted that for the noble mission of the REP to succeed, it demanded a demonstration of commitment from the district assemblies and other stakeholders, cautioning that his outfit reserved the right to abrogate the contract in the event that such commitments were not met.

The Manya Krobo District Chief Executive, Mr David Sackitey Asare, urged his compatriots to see the commencement of the REP as a rare opportunity with the likelihood of transforming their lives qualitatively.

He announced that the District Assembly, being aware of the immensity of the project, had gone the extra mile to offer office facilities to ease the implementation difficulties and promised more assistance.

According to Mr Asare, the Assembly intended committing a greater chunk of its poverty reduction fund to the cause of the REP in addition to the office accommodation already offered. The Eastern Regional Minister, Mr Yaw Barimah, in a speech read for him, lauded the project, especially, because of its emphasis on women empowerment, which he said, could help poor women improve on their incomes.

He advised the managers to ensure that such rural projects would have little or minimal adverse impact on the environment. The second phase of the REP, which is an integrated rural package, began in June 2003 and the overall objective is to promote more competitive rural micro enterprises in the participating districts. 7 April 06