Cape Coast, May 27, GNA - The Central Regional Minister, Madam Ama Benyiwa-Doe, on Wednesday took delivery of 34,000 pre-cut school uniforms for needy and vulnerable pupils in the various districts of the region. They are made up of 17,000 uniforms each for males and females and e ach school is to receive 2,000 pieces.

The Regional Minister who received the pre-cut uniforms on behalf of the pupils, thanked President John Atta Mills for redeeming his campaign promises to provide Ghanaian vulnerable and needy children with school uniforms.

She announced that the region had already received a total of 8,559 sewn uniforms and was expected to receive an additional 10,591 uniforms. Madam Benyiwa-Doe said the provision of uniforms was to attract more children to school and also to relieve parents who could not afford to provide uniforms for their children.

The Regional Minister tasked the dressmakers and tailors who would b e engaged in the sewing of the uniforms to see the urgent need to make them ready in good time.

Madam Benyiwa-Doe advised District Chief Executives to engage qualifi ed and well trained dressmakers and tailors who are members of registered associations or co-operatives instead of using individuals. She said the government in its one-and-a-half years in office so far had been able to achieve a lot in terms of development for the people and that government would make maximum use of taxes paid. The Minister said it was the responsibility of the government to encourage, assist and direct children to go and stay in school and appeal ed to the Ministry of Education to ensure that the Region received the remaining 10,591 uniforms. Mr Kofi Sarfo Kantanka, Metropolitan Director of Education, said a number of measures had been put in place to ensure that the uniforms were produced on time. He said money would only be paid to dressmakers and tailors who woul d be able to do a good job and also meet the deadline. 2