BENEFICIARIES RECEIVE CASH, START-UP KITS FROM JSDF IN BONGO 05/06/18

    
The Japan Social Development Fund [JSDF] has presented start-up kits and cash amounts to 131 beneficiaries in the Bongo District of the Upper East Region. A total amount of 77,335.67 Ghana Cedis was disbursed through the Ezwich electronic payments platform.

The JSDF is a social intervention programme funded by the Japanese Government and the World Bank in partnership with the Government of Ghana and being implemented by the Ghana Social Opportunities Programme [GSOP]. It is aimed at reducing poverty among the poor in rural Ghanaian communities. The target communities are usually those that were also beneficiaries of other pro-poor programmes of state such as the Livelihood Empowerment Against Poverty [LEAP] and GSOP.

Bongo District Chief Executive [DCE], Mr. Peter Ayinbisa Ayamga in his remarks at a brief presentation ceremony held in Bongo, emphasized that the Government of Ghana had resolved to reduce poverty levels drastically in the coming years and that the JSDF was a very strategic partner.  He recalled that since the entry into the district of JSDF in 2016, several hundreds of the rural folks including persons with disabilities have benefited from technical training in weaving, shea butter extraction, animal farming and soap production among others.

Mr. Ayamga mentioned Kadare, Ayopia, Atanpintim, Soe, Gorigu and Azambuo as some of the beneficiary communities. He was optimistic that the different kinds of start-up packages given the beneficiaries would lead to substantial transformation in their business output and also improve their living standards. He noted that the judicious use of the assistance given them would help to off-load the burden on government in the areas of employment and job creation as of these beneficiaries were expected to become masters over time and also engage others in their businesses.

The DCE explained that, the implementers arranged for suppliers of the items making up the start-up kits such that, the moment beneficiaries received their cash, they turned to the suppliers and purchased their requirements under the observation of the JSDF desk officers and GSOP officials. The reason he added, was to avoid the situation where people receive these monies and go away to misapply them.

He hinted that the JSDF was to terminate by August 2018 and advised beneficiaries to live up to expectation so that the Government can be justified in making a case for a possible extension and expansion of the intervention.

Desk Officer in charge of the JSDF/GSOP at the Bongo Assembly, Mr. Sibaway Ahmed in an interview with the ISD disclosed that the day’s presentation was indeed the second batch of beneficiaries. He disclosed that a similar presentation of cash and kits to the tune of 263,097.00 Ghana Cedis was made to the first batch of beneficiaries a few months ago.

Mr. Sibaway said prior to the disbursements, the beneficiaries who were carefully selected based on a criterion of either being poor or disadvantaged among other considerations, were taken through several weeks of skills and vocational training under a collaboration between GSOP and the Assembly with technical support from other stakeholders. Meanwhile following a sensitization in target communities, a three-member team was constituted for each beneficiary community to assist in verifying applicants who really deserved inclusion. The team comprised a chief, a women’s leader and a religious leader.

The Desk Officer observed that assorted items were given out to different beneficiaries based on their peculiar business needs. He disclosed for instance that those engaged in malt processing got items including iron pots, sieves, measuring bowls, metal buckets, silver basins and tarpaulins among others.  He revealed that so far 401 persons had benefited district-wide.