The government has disbursed over eight billion cedis out of the 700 billion cedis earmarked for the Emergency Social Relief Programme (ESRP) to over 10,600 women in fishing communities.

Mrs Gladys Asmah, Minister of Women and Children's Affairs, who announced this on Saturday, said 1,000 women in major maize and cassava producing areas would be assisted next year to increase food production as part of the poverty reduction strategy of the government.

Mrs Asmah was speaking at the first anniversary victory rally of the New Patriotic Party (NPP) in Accra, which was attended by a huge crowd and also addressed by President Kufuor and other leading Ministers and party functionaries.

The 700 billion-cedi programme was launched by President John Agyekum Kufuor as part of the government's effort to improve and reduce poverty in the rural communities.

It also 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 programme.

Mrs Asmah said the programme was also to ensure that beneficiaries were 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.

The Minister said the first year of the NPP was used to lay a solid foundation to build the nation from long years of economic decay and mismanagement.

She assured Ghanaians that the fruits of the government's prudent economic policies would manifest from January next year and urged the public to be tolerant with the government to fulfil its campaign promises.