The Rural Empowerment Advocacy Project LBG (REAP), a non-profit organisation has been launched at Akyem Juaso in the Fanteakwa South District in the Eastern Region with the objective of empowering communities and individuals with livelihood programs.
With Fanteakwa South District as the starting point, the NGO would empower communities in the area through technical and vocational support, charity, livelihood empowerment programs, and support in the area of infrastructural development.
The launch was held over the weekend under the theme Empowering Rural Communities/Individuals with livelihood support, the role of the entire citizenry.
It brought together government officials and stakeholders in the Fanteakwa South District, including the Member of Parliament for Fanteakwa South, Kofi Okyere-Agyekum, the District Chief Executive, Ernest Ofosu and the District Directors of Education, Social Welfare and Health.
The chairman was Osaberima Otu Darko IV, Chief of Osino and patron of the NGO.
Also present was the Queen Mother of Akyem Juaso, Nana Obenewaa Asiedua II.
Speaking at the launch, the founder of REAP, Mr Samuel Ohene Nyantakyi, said the NGO is duly registered with a mandate of empowering rural communities with technical and vocational support, charity, livelihood empowerment programs and support in the area of infrastructural development to augment the government’s effort in development.
“The government will always do its part but needs private individuals and entities as an engine of support and growth. This is why the theme was carefully chosen to re-echo to the general public that development starts with you and me,” he said.
Mr Nyantakyi announced that the NGO in a few years to come, aims to construct a vocational training and resource Centre in the district where it will house its empowerment activities.
Mr Nyantakyi thanked the NGO’s partners including Tiwajo Industries, which is into cosmetics and soap making, and the Asustem Robotics Academy, which offers a hands-on inquiry-based approach to exploring STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math) subjects through projects featuring robotics, IT and engineering, ready to occupy the resource centre when fully complete to impact the kids and Youth in the District with these livelihood skills.
He also called for more partnerships from stakeholders, including the government, investors, and the International community, to support REAP to achieving its objectives.
Launching the Project, the MP, Kofi Okyere-Agyekum commended the Founder for his dedication and commitment to see development in Fanteakwa South.
“Such initiatives are driven by God. Personally, I did same during my Youthful days and in the 90s gave scholarships to many individuals in this District so I see this project as a good prospect for the future.
Mr Okyere-Agyekum observed that most NGOs target more on the Northern part of the country to the disadvantage of the South as such urged them to consider bringing more projects to the South to spread development throughout the country.
“This District has seen a lot of development in terms of education, health Infrastructure and in fact Security under the Akuffo Addo Government. Approval has been given for a District Police Command and more Police stations across the communities in this District including Akyem Juaso,” he announced.
He added that Government alone cannot be left to develop hence all stakeholders including NGOs need to join hands to make Ghana a better place.
On his part, the District Chief Executive, of Fanteakwa South, Ernest Ofosu, said his office was grateful to add another NGO to the already existing NGOs in the District and was optimistic this will spur development in Fanteakwa South.
The government he said is already doing its part and as the larger population are the Youth, he was happy to inform that the One District One factory (1D1F) initiative, the National Identification Authority (NIA), the National Ambulance, TVET and YouStart initiative have created massive employment for the youth in the country.
Chairman and Patron for the NGO, Osaberima Otu Darko IV, Chief of Osino in his remarks emphasised that as traditional leaders any initiative to alleviate poverty from its people and develop its area was welcomed as such his outfit will give REAP all the necessary support to operate.
Together in a goodwill message the Fanteakwa South District Director of Education, Mr Richard Akosah Addo, the Social Welfare Director, Daniel Ayariga and the Director of Health, Margaret Nyarko all pledged their support to REAP to enable it to implement its project successfully in the District.