Mankessim (C/R), Nov 5, GNA - The Eighth Rural Enterprise Project Clients' Exhibition and Trade Show opened at Mankessim in the Mfantseman Municipality of the Central Region on Tuesday. Two hundred and sixty enterprises (260) from 66 districts in all the 10 Regions of are participating in the seven-day show. Mr Kwasi Attah-Antwi Rural Enterprise Project Co-ordinator said the main objectives of organising the trade show, was to assist the clients to expose their products outside their home districts, seek new market outlets and explore new supply sources. Mr Attah-Antwi said Rural Technology Facilities had been provided by the Project in 12 selected districts to promote technology transfer and Apprenticeship training.

He said GH¢765,000 had been disbursed as credit to more than 2,200 enterprises, and more than 142,000 clients had received project interventions. "As result of Project interventions over 9,000 new businesses and 30,000 new jobs have been created in beneficiary districts," Mr Attah-Antwi said.

He said the Project provided start-up kits and capitals for graduate apprentices, and 1,700 youth nationwide had benefited from it. 30 of them received tools and equipment valued at GH¢9,800 at the opening ceremony of the trade show to establish dressmaking, hair dressing, welding, auto spraying, auto electrical, auto mechanic and vulcanizing businesses. Mrs Gifty Ohene Konadu, Deputy Minister of Trade, Industry, Private Sector Development and President's Special Initiatives said the government had adopted an export-led and domestic market-led industrialization strategy to underpin its goal of becoming a middle income country by 2015. She said as part of government's effort to promote local economic development, the Ministry through the efforts of Rural Enterprises Project was building competitive businesses at the district level as means of reducing poverty. Nana Ato Arthur, Central Regional Minister expressed concern about people's inability to repay loans they contracted. He said the habit had been retarding the government's efforts to reduce poverty through micro-financing. Nana Ataapim Kweenu VIII, Mankrado of Nkusukum Traditional Area and the Presiding Member of the Mfantseman Municipal Assembly, commended government for setting up the project to assist the youth to be self-supporting and appealed to those in the streets to take advantage of it.

Nana Amenfo Adu VI Omanhene of Mankessim Traditional Area, who chaired the function appealed to Ghanaians to patronize made-in-Ghana goods as their contribution to the promoting the "Golden Age of Business" policy. The Rural Enterprise Project is providing business development services and technology promotion, to facilitate apprenticeship training, rural financial services as well as support for micro and small-scale enterprise organisation and partnership building. The Project is funded by the Government, the International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD) and the African Development Bank. Agro processed products, textiles, garments and leather works are some of the items being exhibited. 05 Nov. 08