Mr S.K. Boafo, the Ashanti Regional Minister, gave the assurance that the government would do everything possible to salvage majority of the people from abject poverty.

The minister who was addressing a durbar at Boete, a suburb of Obuasi reminded the people that the government through the Ministry of Food and Agriculture (MOFA) and the district assemblies is implementing the Village Infrastructure Project (VIP) to enhance the quality of life of the rural poor.

Mr Boafo said the project would ensure increased transfer of technical and financial resources for the development of basic village-level infrastructure. He, however, said that poverty alleviation programme should go beyond assisting vulnerable groups with loans, to include the provision of storage facilities among others to avoid post-harvest waste.

Mr Boafo said under the Corporate Village Enterprise (COVE) scheme, farmers in the rural area that would embrace the President Special Initiative on 'Agribusiness' would not just be shareholders but core of the company's workforce.

He noted, "it is the conviction of the NPP government to improve the quality of life of the people through the two-pronged approach of fighting poverty by creating wealth and supporting the private sector to flourish and be the engine of growth for the economy." The Regional Minister reiterated government's concern for the welfare of women and advised them to take advantage of programmes aimed at improving their lot.

The Adansi West District Chief Executive, Mr Joe Boampong explained that the assembly's determination to remove kiosks and other unauthorised structures was not intended to make businesses of individuals collapse but it was aimed at decongesting the Obuasi township. Okofo Tabiri Agyei III, Dompoasehene, called on the government to assist the security agencies so that they could curb the spate of armed robbery and other crimes.