GAVA Members In Winneba Receive Support From Afenyo Markin

Mr Alexander Afenyo Markin, the Member of Parliament (MP) for Effutu has supported 55 members of the Winneba Chapter of the Ghana Association of Visual Artists (GAVA) with GH¢500.00 each to expand their businesses.

The MP gave the offer at an arts and culture exhibition organised by the Winneba branch of the Centre for National Culture (CNC) in collaboration with the Effutu Municipal Assembly in the Central Region.

The assistance to the GAVA members, who are affiliated to the Effutu Municipal Office of the CNC, was to compliment government's efforts to support the private sector to grow.

At the exhibitors were artisans, kente weavers, sculptures, beads makers, painters, coral groups, cultural troops, brass band groups, theatre groups and internal deco groups.

Mr Afenyo Markin advised the youth to be conscious in their decision making and be serious in whatever trades they have learnt for a well-deserved living.

He advised the GAVA members to make good use of the funds received to establish and to grow their small-scale enterprises since government alone could provide job opportunities for school leavers.

The MP requested the Effutu Office of the CNC to submit list of members of artisans to his office for consideration for soft loans to expand their businesses.

Mr Afenyo Markin said President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo's government would continue to assist private entrepreneurs to develop their creativities to improve their living standards.

Madam Dorcas Salamatu Alhasan, the Central Regional Director of the CNC, said this year 100 students were selected from both public and private schools and were trained in beads making, internal deco, batik tie and dye and sandals making among other things.

She said eight youth groups had undergone skills training and another batch of eight were currently undergoing two months of skills training and expected to graduate next year to become self-reliant.

Madam Alhasan expressed gratitude to the MP for his continuous support to the CNC in its activities.

She appealed to the Ministry of Tourism, Culture and Creative Arts to provide funds for the training of youth groups registered under CNC in the Effutu Municipality.

'No culture, no tourism development,' she said and called for assistance for the youth to enable them to acquire skills training to help promote tourism development.

---GNA