Akropong (E/R), Jul 7, GNA - A five-day workshop on rearing grass cutters for 48 people selected from the Akuapem Presbytery of the Presbyterian Church has ended at Akropong in the Akuapem South District. It was organised by the Department of Social Services of the Presbytery, to provide the participants with a source of livelihood and to boost the rearing of the animal in the area. Reverend Charles B. Ahwireng, Chairperson of the Presbytery, in an address urged Ghanaians to use every opportunity to improve their socio-economic standard. He said the workshop was part of the Presbytery's strategy to provide jobs for the unemployed and to complement the government's efforts to eradicate poverty. Rev. Ahwireng said workshops would be organised on other income-generating ventures to provide employment for the unemployed. He urged the youth to "sacrifice and do the unusual in order to be successful in life," instead of going to cities to look for non-existing jobs.

Rev. Ahwireng said the Church would seek for loans to enable the participants to go into grass cutter rearing and expressed the hope that they would put knowledge acquired into practice. He asked them not to collaborate to seek solution for problems that would confront them. Mr. Emmanuel K. Adu of the Animal Research Institute (ARI), who was the facilitator, noted that grass cutter rearing was catching on with Ghanaians. "If this trend continues, most of the youth will be employed in this sector and the bushfire incidence in the country will also be minimised drastically". He asked the participants to avoid dusty feeds and to maintain good sanitary practices to protect the animals from pneumonia and other diseases. Mr. Hayford Asiedu, Director of the Department of Social Services of the Presbytery, said about 25 million cedis had gone into the training and expressed the hope that the participants would also train others. He said the Presbytery would assist members to enable them contribute financially towards the growth of the Church.