LESDEP Is Not Father Christmas�

Mr. Richard Ofori Agyemang Boadi, the Obuasi Municipal Chief Executive, has reminded beneficiaries of Local Enterprise and Skills Development (LESDEP) programme that the programme was not a �father Christmas� facility for the Ghanaian Youths. He said it was rather part of the government�s programme to assist the youth to generate employment for themselves and raise income to support their families. Mr. Boadi, said this when he presented five tricycles under the programme to beneficiaries at a short ceremony at Obuasi. Each of them is to pay cash down of GH�950.00 and a monthly payment of GH�170.00 for a year to settle the cost of the tricycle which is pegged at GH�3,162.25. �The facility is not a gift� Mr. Boadi told the beneficiaries and appealed to them to maximize its use to enable them to buy additional tricycles for their business. He said they should respect the conditions attached and ensure that safety practices were observed to ensure their safety. Mr. Farouk Omar, the Municipal LESDEP Co-ordinator, said so far 60 youth made up of seamstresses, barbers, cosmetologists and mobile phone repairers had benefitted from the programme. He said the programme was considering persons with disabilities in the next quota of the facility. A 41-year-old unemployed, Kofi Koranteng who benefitted from the facility, told the press that the facility would be judiciously used to generate funds to support his family and commended government for initiating such support. He urged his colleagues not to abuse the opportunity.