Mr James Amani Amizi, Lecturer at the Central University, said Ghana's current economic situation demanded that people had multiple professions to be able to make ends meet. He said having multiple professions was a great advantage since one profession could put food on the table while proceeds from the other could be used for self fulfilment. "The days of strict specialization," he said, "were over." Mr Amizi was speaking in Accra at the graduation ceremony of 34 women and three men who took a three month vocational training course in bakery, catering, computer science, tie and dye among others. The trainees are members of the Mataheko branch of the Church of Christ and other churches. They are jointly sponsored by Mr Theophilus Tetteh Chaie, Member of Parliament for Ablekuma Central, the Church of Christ and My Hands Are Blessed Foundation, a Vocational School that trains people in various trades including bakery, catering and tie and dye. It was the 58th Graduation and the 15th Anniversary of My Hands Are Blessed Foundation. Mr Amizi said those with multiple streams of income did not suffer in hard times and advised those with one profession to add one for them to have sound financial security. Pastor Barnabas Omani, Head Pastor of the Church of Christ, Mataheko, said there were a lot of people in the church who were unemployed and that it was the church's desire to ensure that they engaged themselves in a trade. He noted that this problem motivated the church to set up a fund two years ago to assist the unemployed and students in the church. He said the church would soon set up a bakery to absorb those who might not have the capital to set up what they had acquired. Pastor Omani advised them to work hard and support the church and also share the knowledge they had acquired with those willing to learn from them. He called on the graduands to practice what they had learnt in order to be self sufficient. Mr John Marful-Sau, Chairman of the Poverty Alleviation Fund of the Church, said the fund was instituted through a monthly contributions of GH¢ 2.00 by church members. He stated that the fund, which had accumulated for about two years, now has GH¢ 17,042.49 in its coffers and called on church members to contribute to it. GNA Dr. Hakeem Wemah of the Northern Development Forum asked the people from the Northern Ghana particularly the youth to acquire education to enable them to fill positions in the country's oil sector. He cautioned the government to ensure that SADA was not politicized adding that "If you employ somebody through political means, another political party would kicked him or her out". Dr. Wemah expressed concern about the continues cutting down of shea trees for charcoal, which according to him could affect the production of shea nut. The Northern Regional Minister, Mr. Moses Bukari Mabengba said SADA had moved from a political promise to an Act of Parliament, which would soon be implemented to improve the living conditions of the people. He said government would bridge the gap between the Savannah areas of Northern Ghana and the rest of the country. Mr. Mabengba called for intensive sensitization of the public about the goals of SADA adding that "When they are armed with such information, they can put themselves in readiness to participate in the implementation projects". He commended SEND-Ghana and the NDF for their continual sensitization of the people on SADA. Source: GNA