Member of Parliament for Ablekuma West Ursula Owusu Ekuful has launched a work, pay and own taxi scheme in her constituency. The move is aimed at empowering the unemployed in her constituency economically and it kick started with 10 taxis on a 3-year payment terms.

This comes barely a month after Mrs Owusu Ekuful who is also the Communications Minister enrolled about 50 women to be trained in cosmetology as part of a bespoke programme to empower her constituents. The two-year cosmetology course had been squeezed into a six-week intensive one with trainees receiving 10 percent theory with 90 percent practicals.

Speaking to journalists after a short ceremony to launch the scheme as well as handover the first batch of taxis to the drivers, Mrs Owusu Ekuful said the scheme will go a long way to provide employment to the otherwise unemployed youth in her constituency.

“Not everybody has skills for white colour jobs and so we need to look at how we can also empower the various kinds of young people in the constituency with employable skills,” she said.

She said per the arrangements with the coordinators of the scheme, the drivers will after three years own the taxis, making them financially independent while having skills that can enable them stand on their two feet.

“There is something for everyone, some will work in an office, some will do petty trading, and others are drivers who need support to also drive” she said.



Some of the drivers who spoke to the media expressed gratitude to the lawmaker for her extreme desire to empower her constituents through the provision of various schemes.

According to them, they were extremely taken aback by the gesture as they did not expect it. “We are very happy, we didn’t expect that from the Minister, but today, we realized that the Minster is someone we can put our trust in,” one of the drivers said.



Another added, “I am very surprised. I thank God and the MP for giving me this opportunity. I have been seeing what she is doing in this community and she is on the right track. This is the first time she is doing such a thing and I am privileged to be among the first beneficiaries.”

Mrs. Owusu Ekuful urged the drivers to uphold to the terms and conditions of the scheme to ensure its success and expansion for others to also benefit.