Trade and Industry Minister begins 3-day tour of Bono-Ahafo Region

The Minister for Trade and Industry, Ekwow Spio Gabrah, has called on the unemployed, particularly graduates to grasp opportunities offered by agriculture and Agro processing to create job and wealth for themselves.  

He pointed out that there are a variety of Government interventions through which they could get support to be successful and strengthen Ghana's economy in the process.  

The Minister was speaking at the start of a three day tour of the Bono-Ahafo Region aimed at acquainting him with developments in the Rural Enterprises Project and his sector generally in the Region.  

GBC’s Bono-Ahafo Regional Correspondent John Sam-Arthur went along and has come through with the following report.


.The Minister for Trade and Industry, Ekwow Spio Garbrah, was accompanied by Officials of his Ministry and the Rural Enterprises Programs (REP).  

His tour will take him to four Districts and Municipalities, namely; Tano North and South Districts and Wenchi and Techiman Municipalities.  

He started off from the gateway to Bono-Ahafo, the Tano South District on the first day of his three day tour.  

He was welcomed to Bechem, the District Capital, by Officials of the District Assembly and the Business Assistant Centre (BAC) under the REP.  

Mr. Spio Garbrah and his Delegation visited a number of ventures started by beneficiaries of the REP.  

They included Poultry Farmers, an Oil Palm and Cassava Processor, a Carpentry Firm as well as a Fish Farmer.  

The Trade and Industry Minister also visited the Rural Technology Facility(RTF), which manufactures various Agro Processing Machines and runs a variety of technical training Programs. 

He was also at the Bechem Light Industrial Area to interact with Artisans.   

Speaking while on the tour, Mr. Spio Garbrah noted that unlike in the past, Government cannot continue to employ everybody and the Private Sector is the way to go in creating employment.  

He said Bono-Ahafo has a good climate and soils for Agriculture and therefore a huge potential for Agro Processing.  

He stressed that what is needed now is for people to make the effort to start something small and expand with time.   

Mr. Spio Garbrah put Ghana's economic woes down to the fact that many people are relying on Government for employment instead of starting some venture.  

He pointed to the REP, the Youth Enterprises Support Scheme, MASLOC, EDAIF and the NBSSI as interventions and institutions ready to assist those who opt to start a venture in the Agric or Agro Processing Sector.  

The Minister visited the Poultry Farm of a young Psychology Graduate of the University of Ghana, Kwame Frimpong, who he commended and help up as an example for other unemployed graduates to emulate.  

Kwame Frimpong shared his story with the Minister, saying he started with 2000 Ghana Cedis donated by an MP and from 1000 birds he is now pushing towards 5000 birds.  

During the interactions some of the Entrepreneurs put forward their challenges, which included high cost of inputs, need for transport to facilitate their businesses and Credit Facilities.  

At the light Industrial area, the Artisan appealed for street lights to improve security at the site.  


GBC