Form groups to benefit from financial assistance - Asmah

Tema, Sept 5, GNA - Mrs Gladys Asmah, Minister of Women and Children's Affairs (MOWAC), at the weekend reiterated the call on women to form co-operative groups in order to benefit from credit facilities from the Ministry.

The assistance, she said, would enable women to undertake viable ventures whose proceeds would help improve their living standards. Mrs Asmah made the call at Tema when she officially opened a Food Depot established by the Agricultural Producers Council (APC) to enable workers within the Tema Municipality to have easy access to foodstuffs at affordable prices.

The structures of the depot, rehabilitated at an estimated cost of three million cedis, used to house the former Food Distribution Corporation.

Mrs Asmah said since its inception; the Ministry had disbursed a total of 100 billion cedis to women groups to enable them to enter into viable economic ventures to better their lot. She pointed out that the disbursement has not been on partisan bases, and, therefore, expressed the hope that by forming co-operatives, majority of women would be assisted to contribute their quota towards national development.

The Minister intimated that 200 gari processing machines, 25 groundnut processing machines and 25 shea-nut processing machines had been ordered for distribution to women groups to help them step up production.

Mrs Asmah commended the council for its vision and foresight, and hoped the teeming workers in the municipality would patronise goods that would be produced by the groups.

Mr Samuel Ohene Kontoh, Secretary-General of the council, said it had formed a Young Farmers' Club, which would ensure ready markets for farmers' produce to help them pay back loan facilities from the Ministry.

He mentioned transportation as a major problem facing the council and appealed to the Ministry to help the Council to purchase vehicle. Foodstuffs that were on sale at the depot included yams, gari, palm oil, plantain and cocoyam.