Nadowli, Feb. 26, GNA - The Rural Enterprises Project, a poverty alleviation project that targets the vulnerable but entrepreneurial poor, has provided tools to 28 graduate apprentices at Nadowli. The tools are to enable the apprentices to establish viable small scale economic ventures in their communities to increase incomes and also provide employment for the youth.

The Project, which is funded by the government, International Fund for Agricultural Development and the African Development Bank, contributed 8,000 Ghana cedis and the Nadowli District Assembly provided 2,000 Ghana cedis for the purchase of the equipment. The tools included sewing machines, hairdressing, motor mechanic and electrical welding equipment as well as gas welding, vulcanizing, leather and spraying equipment.

Presenting the items to the trainees, Mr. Abu K. Kansangbata, District Chief Executive for Nadowli, appealed to the beneficiaries not to abandon the items in their homes and idle about or run down to the cities to engage in menial jobs. He said it would be useless and most unfortunate if the huge vestment made in their training, they are unable to utilise the skills to better their lots and for the benefit of others.

Mr. Kansangbata said government's efforts to equip the youth with employable skills would not yield positive results if the products produced by graduate apprentices were not patronise by local people. He appealed to government to provide avenues outside the local market for graduate apprentices to market their products while the local people are also encouraged to patronise Made-in- Ghana goods to help sustain small scale businesses.

Mr. Kansangbata said the district assembly had set up a monitoring mechanism to ensure that beneficiaries of the start up kits use them for the purpose for which they were provided. The assembly would not hesitate to collect the items back from any beneficiary who in one way or the other, failed to use the items for the intended purpose, Mr. Kansangbata warned. Mr. Samuel Kwakye, Officer responsible for Monitoring and Evaluation at the Offices of the Project in Tamale said the Nadowli District was among the 53 districts benefiting from the second phase of the project in the country.