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Regional News of Saturday, 22 November 2003

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Bawjiase Women Development Initiative Office commissioned

Bawjiase, (CR), Nov. 23, GNA - The Ministry of Women and Children's Affairs has so far disbursed a total of 713 million cedis to various women's groups and farmers in the Awutu-Senya District to help alleviate poverty in the area.

The money was meant to serve as a revolving fund to be repaid within six months to enable other groups to benefit from the package.

Nana J. Wilson, Deputy Manager of the Bawjiase Area Rural Bank announced this on Saturday during the official commissioning of a 16.8 million cedis Women Development Initiative Office at Bawjiase.

The construction of the office to handle issues concerning women in the area was through the initiative of Mrs Veronica Otoo, President of the Bawjiase NPP Women's Wing.

Nana Wilson gave the names of the beneficiary groups and the breakdown of the disbursement as the Bawjiase Area Women Development Initiative, 170 million cedis, Bawjiase Women Traders and Farmers Association, 150 million cedis, Oketsew Agricultural Producers Council (Women) 100 million cedis and Kofi Kum Agricultural Producers Council (Women), 50 million cedis.

The rest were Ayensu Cassava Farmers Association (Women), 165 million cedis, Awutu Breku Women Traders and Farmers' Association, 50 million cedis and the Awutu Mampong Korye Traders and Farmers Association 28 million cedis. Nana Wilson commended the Bawjiase Area Women Development Initiative for designing a regular repayment mechanism and that had enabled it to recycle the loan to cover more than 200 women.

He commended the Ministry of Women's Affairs for initiating the loans for the women to raise the standard of living in the area.

Mrs Otoo also commended the government for assisting the women and appealed to the government to recognize the role of Nursery teachers in the area by increasing their salaries to help give quality education to the children.

Mrs Marilyn Amponsah Annan, Acting Executive Secretary of the Ghana National Commission on Children (GNCC) who deputised for the Minister of Women and Children's Affairs jointly cut the tape with Mrs Otoo to commission the office. Mrs Annan urged women to make genuine choices in their lives that would provide quality education to their children particularly the girl child.