Two PSI identified for the North

Bolgatanga, Sept. 29, GNA - The NPP government has identified two Presidential Special Initiatives (PSI) for the North in the areas of soghum and handicraft production.

This was announced by the Deputy Minister for Trade and Industries, Hajia Alima Mahama at a one-day regional workshop on Rural Enterprises Development Programme (REDP) in Bolgatanga.

Hajia Mahama said the government hopes to transform or reduce poverty in Northern Ghana through these initiatives in addition to the district REDP being introduced.

She said while all the breweries were prepared to use soghum for their production, soghum cultivated was in short supply to meet demand. In the area of the PSI for the handicraft production, she said the government would develop a design centre to take charge of the small-scale handicraft producers, adding that not everybody should export handicraft but that this would be done through handicraft export firm.

Speaking on the overview of the accelerated rural development through the enterprises development programme, Hajia Mahama said every district is required to identify and initiate three projects that the community can call their own source funding by owning shares with the support of the district assemblies.

She said private entrepreneurs could also initiate projects or put capital investment in projects where their interest lies since the government did not want to see projects as its own.

However, the Ministry of Trade and Industries and stakeholders such as the Ministry of Food and Agriculture (MOFA), the Co-operative Department and the National Board for Small-Scale Industries would all collaborate to offer technical advice for projects to achieve success. The Deputy Minister therefore, urged the people of the North to see the programme as an opportunity to do things for themselves instead of expecting others to do for them.

Mr Mahami Salifu, the Upper East Regional Minister said the government's aim of poverty reduction did not necessary make the poor rich, but that government was out to improve the gross domestic product (GDP) of the individual, create employment and wealth for the nation. He urged investors not to have fears to put capital in the rural projects because the government has given its blessing.

The Task Manager of the Rural Enterprises Development Programme for the three Northern Regions, Mr Clement Kojo Nminibapul urged participants at the workshop to get the concept of the programme right to enable them to play their role well by raising issues at the district level 29 Sept. 03