Bekwai (Ash), June 17, GNA- The Government at the weekend presented incentives to 52 facilitators of the Non-Formal Education Division (NFED) of the Ministry of Education, Youth and Sports at Bekwai in the Amansei East District in the Ashanti Region.

The items included bicycles, roofing sheets, gheto blasters and sewing machines.

The beneficiaries were selected from five districts in the Region namely, the Amansie East and West, Bosomtwe-Atwima-Kwanwoma, Adansi North and Adansi South.

Mr. Emmanuel Asamoah Owusu-Ansah, the Regional Minister, in a speech read for him by Mr. Osei Assibey Antwi, the Deputy Regional Minister, at the presentation, said government attached importance to the functional literacy programme to enable adult learners contribute meaningfully towards socio-economic development.

He commended the facilitators for their roles that enabled adult learners to acquire literacy skills and venture into income-generating activities to improve their living conditions. Mr. Owusu-Ansah said "the world has become a global village and we need to keep our citizens abreast with global trends through communication, hence the necessity of this project."

The Regional Minister lauded the involvement of NFED in explaining government programmes like the National Health Insurance Scheme, Immunization exercise and HIV/AIDS to the rural folks. He observed, "it is only when we are able to assist in the empowerment of women and the rural population that we could be heading towards the realization of our millennium goals." Mr. Owusu-Ansah called on development partners including non-governmental organizations, traditional authorities and civil societies to assist the Government in the provision of literacy services to the adult population.

Mr. Francis Ampadu, Regional Co-ordinator of the NFED, disclosed that a total of 300,000 adults benefited from the second phase of the NFED programme between the year 2002 to 2006 in the Region. He praised government for providing vehicles for the districts, which facilitated NFED activities.

Mr. Ampadu stated that the second phase of the NFED programme which was supported by the World Bank ended in 2006, and therefore appealed to the Municipal, Metropolitan, and Districts Assemblies in the region to support the Division with funds to enable it continue with the programme. Nana Minta Afari Boak, Santahene of the Kokofu Traditional Area appealed to adult learners to take advantage of the programme amd become literate and contribute positively to the development of the country.