By Godfred Aaneamenga Polkuu
Chiana (U/E), Oct. 6, GNA – Mr Alamzy Billa Nikyema, the Member of Parliament (MP) for the Chiana-Paga Constituency, has presented GH¢2000.00 each to 220 women in the area to support boost their business ventures.
The gesture, which amounted to GH¢440,000, from his share of the Common Fund, was part of Mr Nikyema’s commitment to local economic empowerment of his Constituents.
The MP in an interview with journalists after a programme to present cheques to the beneficiaries, including peasant farmers and petty traders, conceded that even though the money was not enough, it would cushion them in their respective business ventures.
“We know it is not enough, but it will cushion them somehow in whatever businesses they are engaged in,” the MP, who was in the company of Mr Stephen Aeke Akurugu, the District Chief Executive for the area said.
Mr Nikyema acknowledged the financial challenges of women in the Constituency and urged the various women groups to register the groups with proper documents saying, “Without documentation, we cannot solicit support for them.
“We are encouraging them to come together so that I will take the cost of registering them, so that they will be recognized and assisted adequately,” the MP said.
He noted that the financial support was part of the social intervention programmes of the Mahama-led-administration, and said apart from the 220 beneficiary women, 169 needy but brilliant students would also be supported.
Mr Nikyema said two Bachelor of Law, a medical and engineering students in the Constituency were beneficiaries of the MP’s scholarship, “It is our wish to support six for now, but we have been able to support four.
“Before the next academic year, we will enrol the other two, so that every year, we will try as much as possible to offer full scholarship to needy but brilliant students studying medicine, law, engineering and economics.
“It is a deliberate decision for us to train professionals that we don’t have in our District,” he said, adding that the scholarship would cover 300 needy but brilliant students in the professional fields of study.
“I am also renovating three schools, which will be equipped with modern furniture. It is my wish that before the end of my tenure, all the Junior High Schools in the Constituency are refurbished to improve quality teaching and learning,” he said.
The MP emphasized that all forms of support to Constituents from his office were devoid of political affiliation and were done with the aim to develop and improve the lives of Constituents.
Some beneficiaries in an interview with the Ghana News Agency, thanked the MP for his “thoughtfulness” and prayed for good health for him to continue to support them, and work in the interest of the Constituency.
GNA
Edited by Caesar Abagali/Kenneth Odeng Adade