President John Agyekum Kufuor launched a 700 billion- cedi relief programme aimed at creating employment and income generation opportunities for the poor in the most depressed districts.

The World Bank and the International Monetary Fund (IMF) are funding the three-year Emergency Social Relief Programme (ESRP), which was launched at James Town in Accra.

The programme is also to raise food production, incomes and food security among small-scale food crop producers and improve access to quality basic health infrastructure and services.

Others are to ensure increased access of very poor children to pre-school, primary and secondary education in targeted districts, enhance the sanitation and dwelling conditions of the poor in urban and peri-urban slums, rehabilitate street hawkers, female porters (kayayee), vagrants and increase awareness and coverage of treatment services for the HIV/AIDS pandemic.

Beneficiary fishing communities are James Town, Chorkor, Shama, Axim, Biriwa, Elmina, Agavadzi, Adina, Moree and Komenda where the fishermen would be provided with fishing inputs such as outboard motors, fishing nets and pre-mix fuel.

The women would be supported with aluminum pans, fish smokers and some working capital to ensure that they are able to maximise their profits during the fishing season.

Food production districts to benefit are those in Upper East, Upper West and Northern Regions, Sefwi-Wiawso and Juabeso Bia in the Western Region, Nkwanta in the Volta Region and the Afram Plains area, which stretches from the Eastern Region through Ashanti to Brong Ahafo Region in addition to Kintampo, Nkoranza and Atebubu.

President Kufuor said the government is determined to initiate programmes that would help the poor to stand on their feet in the face of the difficult economic situation.

He said the government believes in the individual's ability to improve on his living standard although society has the responsibility to help the needy to improve on their standard of living.

"Some people only require the creation of a conducive atmosphere for them to take off; others like many school leavers need only to be given skills and directed to productive activities while others like those in fishing communities need to be given direct help."

President Kufuor announced that a nine-member national committee has been set up to define critical areas of need, the type and extent of support required by beneficiaries and also be accountable for the efficient use of the funds.

The committee has already delivered food aid and other assistance to communities in the Upper East Region that have been affected by drought and invasion of armyworm.

Mr Joseph Henry Mensah, Majority Leader and Minister of Government Business, said government has voted 40 million dollars to establish schools with modern equipment and facilities on fishing for the youth in fishing communities.

He explained that this is in line with the government's vision for a new beginning for all sectors of the economy.

Mr Mensah said soon the National Planning Commission would establish the philosophy of the government for all institutions involved in rural development.

Mr Kwadwo Baah-Wiredu, Minister of Local Government and Rural Development, said the programme is to ensure that beneficiaries are provided with the basic inputs and good atmosphere to work during the peak and lean seasons in the fishing or farming communities in order to repay the loans.

Mr Baah-Wiredu, who is also the chairman of the national committee on the implementation of the programme, said members had already toured the beneficiary communities to have first hand information of their problems and the assistance they would require.

He said efforts would be made to provide access roads, an all-year round availability of food and fish and improvement in the insanitary conditions in the communities.

Dr Paa Kwesi Nduom, Minister of Economic Planning and Regional Integration, who is the Coordinator of the programme, said the Agricultural Development Bank has been mandated to receive and process applications from those who need assistance from August 1.

He said the aluminum pans for the women are ready adding, "we need people who are serious and need assistance."