Jasikan, Sept 8, GNA - Mr. Henry Ford Kamel, the Deputy Minister for Lands and Natural Resources, has appealed to chiefs in the Jasikan District to release land for the government to smoothly embark on the Youth in Agriculture programme.

"The programme is a laudable one that can easily eradicate poverty among the youth and it is only you as chiefs who can propel it to succeed by providing land and other necessary support," he said. Mr. Kamel said this when he presented 28 sewing machines valued at GHC 2, 100.00 to 28 seamstresses and apprentices in the constituency. He said the machines, which were donated by the Chinese Embassy, were to empower the women who had completed their apprenticeship but had no equipment to start their businesses. Mr. Kamel, the Member of Parliament for Buem, said the Jasikan District Assembly had received GHC 10 million for the Youth in Agriculture programme and urged the youth to take advantage of it to help eradicate poverty and hunger in the district. He said the programme would cover every youth in the district irrespective of their political affiliations and urged them to live above partisan politics in their bid to develop the area. Mr Kamel appealed to beneficiaries of the sewing machines to form cooperatives to attract the support of financial institutions and non-governmental organizations.

Nana Barima Kumessy Bonsy II, the Jasikan District Chief Executive, said the assembly would continue to come out with programmes that would seek to improve the living conditions of the people. He said he would collaborate with chiefs to ensure the success of all programmes in the area. 08 Sept 09