ASSEMBLY, MINISTRY SET UP FACTORY FOR WOMEN (PAGE 20)

THE Mpohor Wassa East District Assembly of the Western Region has established a palm oil processing project for a women’s group at Mpohor at a total cost of GH¢9,372.
The mill is to generate income for the beneficiary women as an intervention towards poverty alleviation in the area.
The Ministry of Women and Children’s Affairs provided the machines valued GH¢7,000, while the assembly spent GH¢2,372 on the installation and training of the group on how to operate the machines.
The group, known as Victory Palm Oil Makers, has 50 members and was founded last year.
Similar projects have been established at Ateiku, Akotosu, Dominase-Mpeasem, Daboase and Ayiem by the Ministry of Food and Agriculture.
At the inauguration of the project, the Western Regional Minister, Mr A.E. Amoah, advised the women to use the machines judiciously to enable them to generate enough income to expand the project.
He noted that the effective operation of the machines could attract other projects such as gari and palm kernel oil processing, to the community.
Mr Amoah further urged the women to adopt proper accounting and savings culture.
The District Chief Executive for Mpohor Wassa East, Mr Edward Tawiah Amprofi, stated that the district assembly decided to give the machines to the women, since they were already in the palm oil processing business.
He noted with regret that a similar project installed at Adum-Banso with the assistance of the Village Infrastructure Project (VIP) had been abandoned with no apparent reason.
He, therefore, urged the women not to let the project become a white elephant, but instead use it to generate enough income to improve their living conditions.
Mr Tawiah Amprofi also advised them to ensure the regular maintenance of the machines to help prolong their lifespan.
The Assistant Programme Officer of the Department of Women of the Ministry of Women and Children’s Affairs, Ms Mabel N.L. Ahele, said it was the ministry’s intention to ensure the improvement of the lives of women and children in the country.
She said the ministry was assisting women to access micro credit facilities to expand their businesses.
Ms Ahele advised the women to keep records of their activities to know whether they were making profit or running at a loss.
The Paramount Chief of the Mpohor Traditional Area, Osabarima Kwaw Entsie II, urged them to take good care of the machines for the benefit of posterity.
He stressed that if the women used the machines judiciously, they would improve their lives and that of their families.