A total of 329 less privileged individuals in the Wenchi Municipality of the Bono Region have benefited from the Productive Inclusion Programme under the Ghana Productive Safety Net Project 2.
This initiative, aimed at enhancing the livelihoods of vulnerable groups, was spearheaded by the Ministry of Local Government, Decentralization, and Rural Development, in collaboration with the Ministry of Gender, Children, and Social Protection, and the Wenchi Municipal Assembly.
The beneficiaries were selected from eight communities within the Wenchi Municipality, and the program supports them through the Climate Change Mitigation Intervention (CCMI), Productive Inclusion (PI), Livelihood Empowerment Against Poverty (LEAP), and Labor-Intensive Public Work (LIPW) frameworks.
The Wenchi Municipal Desk Officer for the program, Patrick Asomah, who also serves as the Municipal Planning Officer, explained that the initiative provides crucial support to individuals to start or enhance their micro-enterprises.
Items distributed included bee hives, gari graders, Wellington boots, cement, wood, iron sheets, and domestic rabbit cages (hutch), among other essential tools and materials.
The distribution took place during a mini market exercise organized as part of the project.
The beneficiaries received funds through a biometric electronic payment system to facilitate their entrepreneurial activities. While many expressed their gratitude for the government’s support, some voiced concerns about being compelled to purchase the items provided.
They appealed to the government to avoid such practices in future programs, advocating for more direct and free access to the distributed resources.
