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US Ambassador inaugurates shea-nut
facility in Wa
Buli (U/W), March 23, GNA - Mrs. Pamela Bridgewater, the
United States Ambassador in Ghana, on Friday inaugurated a
shea butter production facility for the Buli Women's Shea
butter Processing Group at Buli in the Wa West District.
The ambassador made available about 100 million cedis from
her special Self-Help Fund for the execution of the project
while the people provided labour, sand and stone and part of
the transportation cost of the equipment for the centre.
The centre is equipped with a grinding mill, a shea nut
crusher, shea paste kneader, roaster, diesel engine,
installation materials and service tools, all provided by
the US government.
Mrs. Bridgewater said application for funds for the project
was among over 350 others and commended the Buli women's
group for completing the work on schedule.
She said the embassy had since 1990 spent about one million
dollars from the Fund to sponsor micro-projects for various
groups spread across the country.
The demand for shea butter for the manufacture of body and
hair products, she noted, was rising in the USA and urged
the people to take interest in the growth and development of
the shea nut industry to meet international demand and
standards.
Mr Ambrose Dery, the Upper West Regional Minister, advised
the men not take over control of the facility and push the
women to the background since the men in the region were
noted for taking such actions to undermine the development
of their spouses.
He noted with satisfaction, the contribution of the United
States in supporting the development of the region,
especially in the reduction of child mortality.
Reverend Frank Awuah Fordjour of the Church of Pentecost
said the Buli Women's Group sought to promote the welfare of
its members through engagement in self-help projects like
farming, shea-nut picking and shea-butter production.
The group therefore made a request to the Church to help
them to establish a shea butter processing and milling
centre to facilitate shea butter production and in line with
that request, the Church applied to the US embassy for help.
GNA
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