{"id":3846,"date":"2026-03-11T14:06:36","date_gmt":"2026-03-11T14:06:36","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/stda.gov.gh\/?p=3846"},"modified":"2026-07-09T14:08:15","modified_gmt":"2026-07-09T14:08:15","slug":"south-tongu-district-assembly-and-brc-empower-youth-through-bizbox-aa2e-initiative","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"http:\/\/stda.gov.gh\/index.php\/south-tongu-district-assembly-and-brc-empower-youth-through-bizbox-aa2e-initiative\/","title":{"rendered":"SOUTH TONGU DISTRICT ASSEMBLY AND BRC EMPOWER YOUTH THROUGH BIZBOX AA2E INITIATIVE."},"content":{"rendered":"\n

The South Tongu District Assembly, in partnership with the Business Resource Centre (BRC), has reached a major milestone in local economic development with the graduation of the first cohort of the Agric and Agribusiness to Entrepreneurship (AA2E) program.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The ceremony, held at the BRC in Sogakope, saw the distribution of essential start-up kits to youth, women, and Persons with Disabilities (PWDs).<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The initiative is part of the “Business in a Box” (BizBox) Project, a strategic collaboration between the Ghana Enterprises Agency (GEA) and the Mastercard Foundation aimed at creating dignified livelihoods through entrepreneurship.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

DCE Reaffirms Commitment to Government Flagship Programs:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Presiding over the event, the District Chief Executive (DCE) for South Tongu, Hon. Victoria Dzeklo, emphasised that agribusiness remains the backbone of the district\u2019s economy. In her keynote address, she stated that the Assembly is fully prepared to support all entrepreneurs as they transition from vocational training into active business operations.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

“I am truly happy to see our youth taking up these opportunities. These kits are the seeds of a better future for our district, and we will continue to stand by them as they grow,” Hon. Dzeklo remarked.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

She noted that the program aligns with the Government\u2019s Agricultural Flagship Programs, designed to modernise the sector and ensure food security while providing sustainable jobs.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The AA2E component provides beneficiaries with competency-based technical training through farm institutes and agricultural colleges, focusing on a mindset shift toward professional, modern farming and processing.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Presiding Member Urges Accountability and Vision:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The Presiding Member (PM) of the South Tongu District Assembly, Hon Mensah Kwaku Kudze, also addressed the beneficiaries, delivering a firm call for accountability. He cautioned against the habit of abandoning government-supported ventures after receiving equipment, stressing that the distribution should mark the beginning, not the end, of their success stories.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

“There are some who register for initiatives like this, and at the end of the day, they dump the venture they wanted to venture into,” Hon. Kudze observed. He reminded the graduates that the Mastercard Foundation maintains strict monitoring and evaluation protocols.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

“When you take the items and you don’t make good use of them, they may give you a surprise visit one day. I am not sure they will continue putting their money into where there will not be any proper return.”<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Encouraging the youth to aim for global standards, the PM challenged them to build brands that could rival international giants. “If you make it successful, you may become the McDonald\u2019s of Ghana or the Dangote of Nigeria. It depends on how you brand it and the marketing strategy you add to the business,” he added, reinforcing the sentiment that “money is in the bush” for those willing to work the land.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

A Sustainable Path Forward:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

To ensure the long-term viability of these new enterprises, the graduates will receive ongoing mentorship from the Association of Ghana Industries (AGI). Furthermore, the project facilitates product licensing through the Food and Drugs Authority Ghana (FDA), ensuring that local agribusiness products meet both national and international quality standards.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The provision of start-up kits, including industrial-grade aluminium cooking pots and specialised charcoal stoves, is intended to remove capital barriers and empower the beneficiaries to commence active operations immediately.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The leadership of South Tongu remains committed to fostering an environment where entrepreneurship can thrive, ensuring a more self-reliant and prosperous district for all.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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The South Tongu District Assembly, in partnership with the Business Resource Centre (BRC), has reached a major milestone in local economic development with the graduation …<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[43],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-3846","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-admin"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"http:\/\/stda.gov.gh\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/3846","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"http:\/\/stda.gov.gh\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"http:\/\/stda.gov.gh\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/stda.gov.gh\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/stda.gov.gh\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=3846"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"http:\/\/stda.gov.gh\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/3846\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":3848,"href":"http:\/\/stda.gov.gh\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/3846\/revisions\/3848"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"http:\/\/stda.gov.gh\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=3846"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/stda.gov.gh\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=3846"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/stda.gov.gh\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=3846"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}