Mr. Samuel Kojo Appiah-Kubi, Offinso-North District Chief Executive (DCE), has pledged to focus on job creation, to stem the drift of the youth in the area to the cities and urban centres.
The DCE was speaking at a ceremony to mark the start of construction works on an off-grid biomass energy project at Papasisi, a farming community in the area.
It is being funded by the United States African Development Foundation (USADF), an international NGO, through the Kumasi College of Tropical Agriculture (KITA).
The project, which comes under the United States (US) President’s Power Africa Initiative, is meant to assist promote economic growth and social development of the rural population.
It incorporates the installation of a palm- oil and palm kernel oil processing plant, the by-products which would be used to generate electricity for the area.
The project involves a total investment of 100,000 dollars, and is expected to become fully operational within two years.
Mr. Appiah-Kubi said the Assembly would provide every needed support to ensure its smooth take off.
Mr. Samuel Owusu-Takyi, Director of KITA, said they were determined to make the project a big success, to lift the people from poverty.
He said the Kwame University of Science and Technology (KNUST) and the Kumasi Polytechnic would be involved in its implementation, adding that its success story could be replicated in other communities across the country, to make things better for the people.
Mr. Jacob Ayetor, a representative of USADF, said the project would significantly lift the economic status of women in the area, and urged them to show its ownership.
He praised the community for embracing it, and rallied the people to sustain the enthusiasm, zeal and commitment they had exhibited so far.
Source: GNA
