Savelugu (N/R), March 23, GNA - Poverty is perhaps the most single major obstacle to the socio-economic progress of the country, Alhaji Alhassan A. Atori, Savelugu-Nanton District Chief Executive, has said. "Poverty represents the greatest economic, social and health crisis of our time" he said and lauded the government and civil society organisations' interventions aimed at increasing women's access to micro credit and economic opportunities.

Alhaji Atori said this at the official launch of a 54 million cedi micro-credit project for 60 rural women in the Savelugu-Nanton District on Thursday that was on the theme: "Improving the livelihood status of rural women for improved quality lives".

Each of the women received 500,000 cedis with 20 per cent as interest and payable in three years' time.

The Women Service Foundation (WSF), a Netherlands based NGO is sponsorship the project with funds from Heinz, Impress, Districon, Soroptimist Club Eemsmond and Friends and Family of Femke in Netherlands through Northern Ghana Volunteer Association (NORGHAVO). Alhaji Atori commended the WSF for bringing the credit facility to women in the district to enable them to reduce endemic poverty that had plagued their social and economic progress.

He advised the NGO not to disburse the funds either on chieftaincy or political party lines since that had the potential of denying the real needy people from having access to the facility. Mr. Alhassan Amadu, the Northern Regional Population Officer, urged the women not to see the credit facility as an end in itself but it should be a means to an end if they use the money judiciously. Mr.Sulemana Abdul-Samed, Executive Director of WSF, said the NGO's overall aim was to have a poverty free society through the provision of education, good health, women empowerment and gender equality. "Reducing poverty conditions and increased wealth, well-being and participation of women in good governance, peace building and conflict transformation is our goal", he said.

Miss Femke Van Doorn, a WSF Volunteer, said the NGO would focus on supporting the women with micro credit and provide them with education to turn their businesses into profitable ventures.