Dr Etuaful Rashid, the New Patriotic Party (NPP) Parliamentary Candidate for Ajumako-Enyan-Essiam (AEE), has procured 80 commercial vehicles for distribution to drivers on ‘work and pay’ basis to enable them to own cars.

Thirty have already been distributed to the first batch of drivers and 50 more would be given out in June, this year.

Speaking to the Media at Ajumako, Dr Rashid said the scheme was to economically empower commercial drivers in the District to enable them to cater for their families.

On health, he disclosed that a tour he conducted indicated that some people in the constituency had not registered for the National Health Insurance Scheme (NHIS) and decided to foot that bill.

So far, more than 4,000 new NHIS cards had been paid for while expired ones had also been renewed to ensure access to healthcare, he said.

He said prior to the outbreak of the COVID-19, free medical screening was organised where 3,000 people were screened as part of efforts to improve their health status.

Already about 1,000 people had had similar free medical screening at Ajumako Essiam community and adjoining towns.

Medical doctors, nurses and other paramedical staff who conducted the screening were from the Komfo Anokye Teaching Hospital in Kumasi, Agona Swedru Municipal, Ajumako-Enyan-Essiam and Winneba Government hospitals.

Dr Rashid stated that aside healthcare, other economic ventures had been outlined to impact positively on the lives of the people to improve their well-being.

He said women contributed significantly to the socio-economic growth of the country and there was the need to empower them financially to help reduce economic hardships.

More than 1,000 women in the constituency were, therefore, given soft loans between 300 and 600 Ghana cedis as a revolving fund to expand their businesses.

Apprenticeship fees have been paid for an estimated 600 junior and senior high students who could not pursue further education to learn a trade to be self-employed.

Dr Rashid said the move was to impact the lives of the people, no matter their political affiliation, to help alleviate poverty in the area.

He said the initiative would not be a nine-day wonder adding that he had made efforts to provide streetlights to towns and other small communities to reduce criminal activities.