Asenso-Boakye in a group photograph with staff of NBSSI and the 30 shoemakers
The NPP Parliamentary Candidate for Bantama, Francis Asenso-Boakye, has donated shoemaking machines and other tools to 30 selected local shoemakers in the constituency in Kumasi.
This was in fulfillment of an earlier commitment to seek alternative assistance to train, support and empower the shoemakers to be able to grow their businesses when he visited their workplaces some months ago.
Without doubt, the informal sector contributes greatly towards the socioeconomic development of the country; and Asenso-Boakye, a Deputy Chief of Staff, who is committed to develop the constituency and make things easy for the people, decided to support the selected shoemakers to enhance their businesses.
The beneficiaries had earlier undergone training in entrepreneurship, financial literacy and leatherwork, and were subsequently awarded certificates by the National Board for Small Scale Industries (NBSSI).
The equipment presented to the shoemakers included bench grinders, punch pliers, hammer and scissors, which were reported to be very expensive tools on the market.
Mr. Asenso-Boakye seized the opportunity to motivate the shoemakers to vote massively for the NPP for more development in the constituency.
He said he realized that some of the shoemakers in Bantama lacked the requisite tools and managerial skills to make more money from their work, saying, “To help change the poor trend, I contacted NBSSI and we decided to organize the short educational course to enable the shoemakers to make more money from their efforts.”
He said the shoemakers were randomly selected from all the eight electoral areas in Bantama; adding that he is hopeful their skills have been improved and admonished them to put the knowledge and skills acquired and the equipments presented to them into good use for the benefit of others.
He said the shoemakers stood the chance of being given financial package as well to help expand their businesses, “and it will depend on how you use the tools presented to you.”
He said the NPP was not going to be complacent towards December 7, but would go all out to ensure the President who had worked hard got a second term.
Nana Ama, a member of the NBSSI delegation, said she was highly impressed about the seriousness that the 30 shoemakers attached to the educational programme.
Kofi Boakye, aka ‘Master K. Boakye’, one of the beneficiary shoemakers, said Asenso-Boakye had proven to be a servant leader “and God will bless him and his family.”
FROM I.F. Joe Awuah Jnr., Kumasi