Dr Hajia Salamatu Taimako, head of Taimoko Herbal Plants and a prominent herbal practitioner in the Tamale Metropolis, has appealed to the government to assist women engaged in local industries. She stressed that women who were engaged in local industries should be supported with the necessary resources to unearth and improve upon their chosen professions and talents. Dr. Taimako who is the owner of a five hectare mango nursery plantation made the appeal in an interview with the Times when the reporter visited the farm at the weekend. Dr Tamaiko mentioned that apart from the forestry department which bought about two thousand mango plants in 2002, none of the government departments do business with her. She said she had never benefited from any loan facility. Dr. Tamaiko therefore appealed to the Tamale Metropolitan Assembly, the various district assemblies and other stakeholders involved to purchase the mango seedlings for their mango plantation projects. She also suggested to the assemblies to take advantage of "Greening Ghana" under the country’s Golden Jubilee celebration to buy seedlings for planting to beautify the district capitals. Dr. Tamaiko complained that most of her colleagues in the profession were facing similar problems and therefore pleaded with the Regional Coordinating council to support them to boost tree planting and the herbal industry in the country. She noted that most women in the region were the back bone of their families’ hence it was prudent that government and non-governmental organisations offer them the needed assistance to improve upon their business ventures. As a result of her hard work and contribution in the area of poverty reduction, the University Council of the University for Development Studies (UDS) awarded her an honourary degree in herbal medicine in 2005. Times