The Rural Enterprise Programme (REP) through the Komenda-Edina-Eguafo-Abrem (KEEA) Business Advisory Center has in the last four months trained farmers and processors in five communities in the Municipality, to boost their income-generating activities. The beneficiary communities are Breman, Ankwanda, Abrem-Agona, Nkontrodu and Elmina Zo
ngo.
They were trained in cassava processing into gari fortified with soya bean and margarine, flour for the baking, soap and cosmetic making as well as the processing of cassava and plantain into fufu flour.
At Breman, the capacities of 43 members, including, 10 women of the Breman Adoye Kuw farmers, were built to enable them add value to the processing of gari. Ank
wanda, had 25 women benefitting from the programme, and they were trained in cassava flour and fufu powder processing, as well as starch and tapioca production, while 21 women learnt cosmetics and soap making at Abrem Agona. Twenty-five and 22 participants respectively from Nkontrodu and Elmina Zongo, also benefitted from cosmetics and soap making.
Speaking in an interview with the Ghana News Agency, the Head of the District BAC, Madam Veronic Essel, explained that REP is part of the Government of Ghana’s effort to reduce poverty and improve people’s livelihoods. She explained that the BAC is the main field level implementing unit for the Programme. According to her, REP has been in existence since 1995 beginning with a Rural Enterprises Project Phase I which
was implemented in only 13 districts. The number of districts was increased to additional 53 under Phase Two. Madam Essel mentioned that REP came to the KEEA district when the current Programme Phase was started in 2012.
She mentioned that her outfit is very much poised to ensure that businesses in the district and potential entrepreneurs get a fair share of the interventions provided by the Programme. She explained that in order for this desire to be actualised, REP has already provided the KEEA District with a brand new Nissan Navara Pickup, Motobike and a set of office equipment.
Credit: GNA