35 APPRENTICES IN UE PRESENTED WITH WORKING TOOLS (D/G Monday August 4,2008 PAGE 40)

THIRTY-FIVE graduate apprentices in the Builsa District of the Upper East Region, have been presented with assorted start-up working tools worth GH¢10,000 to enable them to start their own businesses.
The items comprised tools for motor and bicycle repairs, masonry, weaving, hairdressing, vulcanising, barbering, welding as well as television and radio repairs.
The presentation of the equipment falls under the second phase of the Rural Enterprise Project (REP) support for graduate apprentices.
The REP contributed GH¢8,000 while the Builsa District Assembly provided the remaining GH¢2,000.
Making the presentation at a brief ceremony at Sandema, the district capital, the District Chief Executive (DCE), Mr Thomas Alonsi, said under the REP, the assembly had been supporting various trade associations through capacity building programmes and the provision of vital tools and equipment to enable them to improve upon their businesses and to employ many more others to reduce the unemployment situation in the district.
In that regard, he said, capacity building programmes on bee keeping, guinea fowl rearing, batik tie - dye production, soap and pomade making, among others, had been organised for 864 individuals in the district.
Mr Alonsi said in addition, 142 individuals were to receive amounts ranging between GH¢240 and GH¢420 as micro credit.
He said the provision of tools to the graduate apprentices was aimed at empowering, improving and supporting the private sector to be the engine of growth of national development, adding that "the skills training for the unemployed is aimed at making them self-reliant to enable them to contribute to national development."
The Tamale Zonal Marketing Officer of the REP, Mr Abu Mahamadu, urged the beneficiaries to make good use of the kits while the Builsa District Head of the Business Advisory Centre, Mr Abu Mutalib, charged the beneficiaries to adopt good business practices, such as efficient record keeping and good customer relations in order to win more customers for their businesses to expand.