The Local Enterprise and Skill Development Programme(LESDEP) on Wednesday presented 10 outboard motors worth GH¢67,800 to 10 fishermen in the Kwahu East District on hire purchase basis.

The outboard motors cost GH¢6,786 each and should be paid for within 18 months with two months grace period and a six-month guarantee.

Presenting the items, the Eastern Regional Coordinator of LESDEP, Ms Fatahiya Zulka, urged the fishermen to put the outboard motors to effective use to increase fish production.

She assured those who had applied for assistance in vocations such as hair dressing, tailoring/dress making and barbering that their equipment would soon be delivered to them.

The Zonal Coordinator for Eastern and Volta Regions, Mr Charles Apraku, said the objective of the programme was to reduce unemployment as the items would offer employment to the people.

He said initially 20,000 people throughout the country applied for assistance from LESDEP but 24,000 people had been assisted so far and expressed the hope that 40,000 people would be assisted by the end of the year.

The Kwahu East District Chief Executive, Mr. Samuel Asamoah, advised the beneficiary fishermen to put the outboard motors into good use to enable them pay up within the 18 months period for other fishermen to also benefit from the programme.

The District LESDEP Coordinator, Mr. Kingsley Agyare, said over 40 people had also applied for the supply of tricycles and mobile cold store vans which would soon be delivered to them.**