Regional News of Thursday, 20 November 2003

Source: GNA

Youth to benefit from Youth Fund

Twifo-Praso (C/R) Nov. 20, GNA - The youth in some selected districts in the Central Region are to benefit from the 'Youth Fund' instituted by the government to assist them to start or expand their businesses.

The beneficiary districts are Twifo-Hemang-Lower- Denkyira, Assin, Komenda-Edina-Eguafo-Abrem and Ajumako -Enyan-Essiam districts.

Mr Joe Mantey, the National Coordinator of the National Youth Council, on Wednesday said these during an interaction with members of a committee, established to administer the disbursement of the proposed Youth Fund, as part of a day's working visit to the region.

According to him, the Fund, a revolving money for only members of registered youth groups would have an initial amount of 10 billion cedis, and would be shared among 30 districts nationwide; on pilot basis and that it.

He explained that the Fund, would be lodged in selected vocational institutes, and would be given to beneficiary districts in the form of loans, after presenting proposals on businesses of intended beneficiaries.

Mr Mantey, therefore, asked authorities in the four districts to provide data on intended beneficiary groups to ensure that they benefited from the Fund, which was aimed at improving their living conditions.

Mr Abraham Odoom, District Chief Executive, commended the government for instituting the Fund, and said the initiative would help to curb rural-urban drift of the youth in search of non-existing jobs.

He said about 10 groups in the district, engaged in beekeeping, grasscutter, snail rearing, cassava and oil palm processing and batik tie and dye production have been targeted to benefit from the proposed fund.