Agona Swedru (CR), July 5, GNA -- Madam Ama Benyiwa-Doe, Central Regional Minister, has urged municipal and district assemblies to make budgetary allocations from their common fund to support small scale enterprises within their jurisdiction.

She said the informal sector should be assisted with adequate credit facility and capacity building to enhance and improve their competition and job creation for the unemployed. Madam Benyiwa-Doe made the call at the inauguration of a 15-member Agona West Sub-committee on Production and Gainful Employment (SPGE) at Agona Swedru.

The SPGE was initiated by members of Agona West Municipal Assembly in collaboration with International Labour Organisation (ILO) to promote local economic development.

Mr Antwi-Boasiako Sekyere, Deputy Minister for Employment and Social Welfare said the public sector was choked and Government could not employ more people, therefore it was ideal for the private sector to be supported.

He said Government was committed to ensure the private sector was empowered to play its vital role in job and wealth creation to improve the living standards of the people.

Mr Antwi-Boasiako said Government had introduced many credit facilities to support the informal sector to develop their capacity and jobs for the people and regretted that assistance under the poverty alleviation fund, youth in agriculture and other interventions had been abused by the beneficiaries.

Mr Elvis Afriyie-Ankrah, Deputy Minister of Local Government and Rural Development said the success of the programme in the local economic development would lead to increase in the revenue based of the assemblies and reduce the pressure on the common fund in the municipality.

Mr Felix Jacob Obeng-Forson, Agona West Municipal Chief Executive, expressed appreciation to International Labour Organization (ILO) for selecting the municipality to benefit from the initiative, which was in line with the Government's vision to invest in people and create jobs. He therefore encouraged small scale entrepreneurs to take advantage of the initiative not only to improve the businesses, but also to stimulate employment creation and reduce poverty in the municipality. 05 July 09