Winneba (C/R), Nov. 17, GNA - A four-day orientation and technical training workshop for members of the Gomoa West sub-committee on Production and Gainful Employment (SPGE) has ended in Winneba, with a call on the various committees to work to reduce poverty in the Central Region.

The workshop organised by the International Labour Organisation (ILO) was to strengthen the capabilities and skills of the members of the SPGE to facilitate local economic development for employment creation and poverty reduction in the districts.

The participants were taken through topics including, roles and responsibilities of SPGE, small business association management and promotion, participatory develop techniques and advocacy for effective development.

The rest were business development services and local economic development promotion, and promoting youth employment for local economic development.

Closing the workshop, Mr. Emmanuel Baisie, National Project Officer for Local Economic Development of ILO said since 2003, the ILO has been working with a number of districts in the Central Region under its Local Economic Development (LED) initiative.

"The focus has been to strengthen collaboration between district Assemblies and local business for effective and equitable development". Mr Baisie said the ultimate objectives of the LED initiative were to stimulate the growth of the districts towards high employment creation and faster poverty reduction.

He said a key component of the LED initiative is the SPGE which serves as a platform for exchange of ideas between local government and local businesses.

Mr Baisie expressed the hope that the workshop would enable participants to be better placed to mobilize resources to support local economic development initiatives in the district.