The Eastern Regional Minister, Mr Samuel Ofosu-Ampofo, has advised journalists to shift from creating platforms for politicians to undermine each other to the creation of platforms for economic development and the fight against poverty, the greatest enemy of the country. He was speaking at a meeting, at Koforidua, with the national executives of the Ghana Journalists Association (GJA) and Mr Kwasi Afriyie-Badu, the consultant of the GJA on the project, “Using the Media to Strengthen Business Advocacy.” The meeting which was attended by the Deputy Regional Minister, Mr Mohammed Ahmed Baba-Jamal, and the Regional Coordinating Director, Mr Samuel Bawa, was called at the instance of the GJA to strengthen collaboration with the RCC on the project. The Regional Minister, therefore, lauded the GJA for the initiative of championing the cause of small and medium scale enterprises towards expanding their activities and pledged his fullest support to the project. He told them that the RCC is reviewing the activities of Micro Assistance and Small loans Centre (MASLOC) in the region to give some leverage to private businesses. Mr Ofosu-Ampofo informed them that at the initiative of the RCC, two district assemblies: the Birim Central and New Juaben Municipalities, are working out a scheme to give entrepreneurial skills to 210 young women under the Social Investment Fund (SIF). Mr Samuel Kissi, the Regional Secretary of the Association of Small Scale Industries (ASSI) who accompanied the group, appealed to the Minister to ensure that the tailors and dressmakers association is also involved in the free school uniform contract in all the districts. That way, he explained, members of the association would have jobs to enhance their businesses, which could be described as a support from government. Mr Afriyie-Badu explained that the laws of the country and those which regulate the operations of the district assemblies have provisions for the participation of small and medium scale enterprises in the activities of the assemblies but they are not being enforced. He, therefore, called on the Regional Minister to direct the district assemblies to support the SMEs by consulting with them, especially during the passage of the fee fixing resolutions. Source: GNA