Paga (U/E), May 31, GNA - Mr Mark Woyongo, Upper East Regional Minister, has advised the Wemo-Atu Widows and Orphans Ministry, a local non governmental organisation at Paga, to seek assistance from the Rural Enterprise Project (REP) to start or expand their businesses.

The REP was established in the Kassena-Nankana East District to provide opportunities for the transfer of appropriate technology for improved manufacturing and agro processing activities. Mr Woyongo gave the advice at a rally held in Paga in the Kassena Nankana West District in the Upper East Region at the weekend to mobilize widows in the area and expose them to various small scale income generating projects. He urged all the young widows to take the capacity building training seriously so as to be empowered to take care of themselves and their family. Mr Woyongo encouraged them to take interest in cotton farming, also called 91White Gold', which the government was revamping. He assured farmers of government's support for those who were interested in the cotton program adding, 93all you need to do is to acquire the land, provide your labour and other inputs will be provided by the government." Mr Woyongo donated 500 Ghana cedis and five sewing machines to the widows and urged them to send their children to school.

Rev. Lamisi Weyiramogni, Founder and leader of the Widows and Orphans Ministry, said the ministry started with 70 widows and orphans and had increased steadily to 6000 from the entire Navrongo area. She said through education, social vices in the area had reduced while hard work had enabled them to acquire five sewing machines at a cost of 400 Ghana cedis.

Rev. Weyiramogni appealed to district chief executives, regional ministers, members of parliament, churches and NGOs to help them put up a training centre with training equipment such as sewing machines so as to train the widows and orphans.

She noted that as farming was the main occupation of the people, some of the women would be more productive in that field and appealed to the Regional Minister to help negotiate for a tractor for them. Mr Thomas Addah Dalu, District Chief Executive of the Kassena-Nankana West District, also donated two sewing machines to the ministry and urged the women to call on him any time they needed help. 31 May 11