News:
November 29, 2018
Only 16 out of a total number of 1,080 Zongo Communities in the country are currently benefiting from development initiatives under the Zongo Development Fund established as a result of the creation of the Inner-City and Zongo Development Ministry.
Minister of Inner-City and Zongo Development, Dr Mustapha Hamid disclosed this when he appeared before Parliament Tuesday morning to respond to a question filled by Member of Parliament for Garu, Albert Akuka Alazuuga on what programme the Ministry has put in place to improve livelihood in Zongo Communities in the country.
According to the Minister, the Ministry has initiated a number of socio-economic programmes that are aimed at developing the human capacities of the people in Zongo communities, empowering them to be economically productive and supporting the promotion of their indigenous businesses in order to improve household incomes.
He stated that the Ministry is working with the National Board for Small Scale Industries (NBSSI) to train selected women across zongo communities who have businesses in especially Zongo cuisine like “waakye,” “sobolo,” “tubaani,” “kooko,” “wasawasa” and the rest, first of all, to improve the development and packaging of these foods in order to add value and increase incomes associated with these businesses.
The NBSSI also aims to accredit some of these women who shall become ready sources of provision of these foods to conferences, meetings and hotels.
He said, there is also the Zongo Coders Programme, which is to train, improve and redirect the ICT skills of the youth in Zongo communities into productive ventures.
Dr Hamid indicated that, in collaboration with the Ministry of Business Development and Access Bank, the Ministry is in the final stages of a collaboration that will allow Access Bank to provide capital to businesses in Zongo communities. This programme should be rolled out in the first quarter of 2019.
This he said President Akufo Addo believes the country as a whole must develop its human resource.
By Christian Kpesese/ghanamps.com.