Government has through the Micro-Finance Small Scale Loan Centre (MASLOC), presented a cheque for one Million Ghana Cedis to 210 Kokompe spare parts fire victims. Apart from erecting their warehouses, the money would also help them to re-engage in their businesses that were gutted by fire, a couple of months ago. In all, 21 groups made up of ten persons per group would share the amount to revive their businesses. Mr Alfred Vanderpuije, Accra Metropolitan Assembly (AMA) Chief Executive, advised the beneficiaries to work hard in order to sustain their businesses and repay their loans at the stipulated time. "The MASLOC loans have their standards and I will like to appeal to all the beneficiaries to use the money judiciously to advance their trading activities that will enable them to pay back the loans." He said the provision of the loans formed part of the "Better Ghana Agenda" the Government had put in place and appealed to all the traders to embrace Government programmes for the betterment of the country. Madam Bertha Ansah Gyan, Chief Executive Officer of MASLOC, said although the loans were skewed towards agriculture, food processing and aqua-culture sectors, the victims had a peculiar problem that necessitated government intervention. She appealed to the spare parts dealers to go in for insurance policies in order not to lose entirely in times of disasters. Mr Enoch Donkor, Head of Operations of MASLOC, said the fire victims, who would receive an average amount of GH¢ 3,000.00 would repay the loans in 12 months more than the normal six months. Apart from that concession, Mr Donkor said the recipients would also be given three months grace period to begin the payment of the loans. He advised them against diverting the loans into servicing other services as that could have negative repercussions on their businesses and re-payment Mr Kingsley Anane Yeboah, President of the Kokompe Spare Parts dealers, commended Government for the intervention and appealed to his colleagues to make judicious use of the money in order to attract similar facilities in future. A couple of months ago, some Kokompe spare parts dealers lost all their wares due to a fire outbreak that destroyed their warehouses and shops. Subsequently, Vice President John Dramani Mahama, who was accompanied by Mr Samuel Ofosu Ampofo, Minister for Local Government and Rural Development, and Mr Alfred Vanderpuije, AMA Chief Executive, promised to assist the victims with small scale loans to revive their businesses.