Dzifa Gomashie displaying her skill in hair-making during the launch
• Over 2000 people at Ketu South will benefit from a Skills Development Project
• The Coronavirus has forced land borders to continue to be closed
• Dzifa Gomashie hopes these skills will give people better livelihoods
After many failed attempts to get the land borders open, all in an attempt to get her people’s livelihood back in force, the Member of Parliament for Ketu South, Abla Dzifa Gomashie, has started teaching her people newer ways of surviving.
This is to be made possible through the 2021 Skills Development Project which was launched on Friday, September 24.
Announcing this in a post on her Facebook page, she explained why this has become particularly necessary now.
“As the Member of Parliament, I have looked at my specific situation as a citizen and as one of the leaders in this community. I have looked at the economic situation of my people and I have resolved to assist with my widows’ mite.
“I am going to teach my people how to earn a decent living through decent work,” she said in her speech, which she also made available on her verified Facebook page.
The project will teach people skills in sewing, hairdressing, shoemaking, phone repairs, decor, baking, soap making, plumbing, beads making, ICT, photography, among others.
Land borders in Ghana have been closed since 2020 after the novel Coronavirus hit, forcing many communities and people who survive on commuting in and out for the border to be left without any hopes.
This has pushed the communities to protest on the streets but this is yet to yield any result but the MP for Ketu South says she cannot also just sit by doing nothing.
“We have been brought to our knees by force majeure, disease, and what I would call unfavourable political decisions.
“We have been struggling to find local solutions as we wait and hope for some social intervention from the state to alleviate our suffering.
“I am unable to authorize anyone to open the borders. I cannot ask the sea to stop the devastation. I cannot ask COVID-19 to leave us alone, but I can teach my people how to fish,” she said.
Dzifa Gomashie further explained her greatest motivation for this.
“As the MP for Ketu South, I have seen firsthand, the devastating effect of poverty on my people due to lack of jobs and opportunities for employment.
“To address same, and in line with the NDC manifesto of 2020 to teach skills and [nurture] entrepreneurs, I have bought 100 sewing machines, 50 hand-held dryers, one special leather sewing machine, 10 computers and one phone repairing machine, provided resources for the teaching of soap making and plumbing,” she said.
While still appealing for support the project, she explained that this project could become the answer to all the problems that her people face, as long as they work hand in hand to project and sustain it.
“To say no to poverty, erase hunger, promote good health and well-being, give quality education, promote gender equality, give decent work for economic growth, to reduce inequalities for a sustainable growth for Ketu South, we must work together to ensure that this project becomes the medicine to cure all that I have listed and I believe we can do it.
“It is my prayer and desire to add on to the domains next year. We hope to teach upholstery, electricals, carpentry, driving, welding, vulcanizing, painting, spraying, and more,” she said.