The government of Japan has provided Katariga, a rural community in the Sangnarigu municipality of the Northern Region with a multi-purposed processing plant.
The plant which would be processing both shea nuts and rice worth $79,000 was funded by the Japan government under its Grant Assistance for Grassroot Human Security Project (GAGHSP).
Mr Hiromoto Oyama, Deputy Japan Ambassador to Ghana who inaugurated the processing plant said it was part of efforts of the Japan government to assist reduced poverty in the country.
He explained that the human security was one of the major focus of the government of Japan and it was working with various partners to achieve it.
Mr Oyama stated that government of Japan was interested in working together with relevant organisations that have the intention to improve the wellbeing of people especially women in the deprived communities.
“We work with our partners to improve upon the wellbeing and livelihoods of people so that our and brothers in deprived communities can live in dignity,” he stated.
Mr Oyama explained that as the shea butter business being one of the few employment opportunities available to women in the area, the processing plant would help contribute significantly to the economic empowerment of women.
The Municipal Chief Executive (MCE) of Sangnarigu, Mrs Mariama Iddirisu who was elated about the provision of the processing plant in the community expressed optimism that it would help in achievingt President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo’s vision of Ghana Beyond Aid.
She added that the provision of the processing plant in the community would help boost the income status of the women in the area.
The MCE mentioned that women in the community were hardworking and the processing plant would empower them to expand their shea butter and rice businesses.
Mrs Iddirisu pledged her outfit’s readiness to assist maintain the facility in order to ensure its long lifespan.
Mr Abdul-Rashid Zakaria, Executive Director Urbanet, an organisation that supervised the construction of the processing plant commended the government of Japan for the facility.
He maintained that the plant would help ensure food and nutrition security in a sustainable manner in the community.
Mr Abdul-Rashid added that the multi-purpose plant would assist improve quality and scale of production of shea butter and rice in the entire municipality.
FROM YAKUBU ABDUL-MAJEED, KATARIGA
