Advocacy training for craftsmen ends

A four-day advocacy training workshop for
40 members and master craftsmen of UREKA Association of Garages in Techiman municipality has ended at Techiman.

The workshop, funded by Business Sector Advocacy Challenge Fund (BUSAC), was aimed at equipping the participants with the necessary skills to advocate solutions to problems militating against their businesses.

Closing the workshop, Mr. Wiredu Iddris, lead trainer for Network for Advocacy and Development, an NGO, said businesses faced obstacles that hindered successful operations and dialogue and advocacy could help eliminate such obstacles.

He stressed that the government, district assemblies, traditional authorities and other government agencies could help businesses to solve their problems and urged members of the association to collaborate with such institutions to enhance their businesses.

Mr. Reuben Tettey, a facilitator, expressed the hope that participants would impact positively on the association’s activities and charged them to become agents of change towards removing constraints facing the association.

Mr. John Kwadwo Nkrumah, Chairman of UREKA Association, mentioned high cost of lease and lack of utilities such as electricity and water as problems facing the association.

He appealed to VRA/NED and the Ghana Water Company to extend such facilities to the area and called on Techiman Municipal Assembly to move all road side artisans in the municipality to the new magazine to enhance their operations.

Mr. Agyenim Boateng, secretary, said the association would build bridges with the media to enable them to champion the cause of the association.

Mr. Kwasi Afena, Brong-Ahafo Regional Chairman of grasscutter association who presided, urged members of the association to work within its constitution to help forestall the emergence of problems.

Topics dealt with at the workshop included communication skills, private and public sector relationship, records keeping and leadership skills.