Konongo-Odumase (Ash), Sept. 16, GNA - Mr Kwasi Attah-Antwi, Project Coordinator for Rural Enterprises Project (REP) has announced that over 1200 graduate apprentice across the country would by the end of this year benefit from 300,000 Ghana cedis equipment and start-up kits to enable them start their own businesses.

He said the REP since its inception in 2003 had supported over 1700 graduate apprentices with start-up tools and equipment costing over 300,000 Ghana cedis in 34 districts nationwide.

Mr Atta-Antwi said this in an address read for him during a ceremony to present start-up kits to 30 graduate apprentices at Konongo in the Asante Akim North District of Ashanti on Tuesday. The project coordinator indicated that the project intended to assist about 6000 youth to undergo apprenticeship training to set up their own businesses after graduation before the project ended. He mentioned that REP's main objective was to alleviate poverty through increased income and productivity and seeks to achieve this through business development services, technology promotion and support to apprenticeship training, rural financial services and support to micro enterprise institutions including local trading associations. Mr George Frimpong, Municipal Chief Executive, in an address read for him, said the NPP government since 2001 adopted measures to ensure economic stabilization and growth such as the liberalization of the economy, invigoration of the private sector and many others. Mr Emmanuel Tetteh, Rural Technology Facility Coordinator for Asante Akim North, said the kit package was funded jointly by the government of Ghana, the Africa Development Bank and International Bank for Agricultural Development.

He mentioned that the beneficiaries were selected from 12 trade areas such as hairdressing, dressmaking, welding, mechanics, vulcanizing, and carpentry, among others.

He urged the recipients to take good care of the items to help others also benefit as well as make them self dependent and also enhance productivity. He commended the Asante Akim North Municipal Assembly for contributing 2000 Ghana cedis towards the sustainability of the sponsorship kits procurement scheme and distribution to the beneficiaries.