Madam Akua Wood, a businesswoman based in the United Kingdom (U.K.), has registered and paid the full premium for 41 women sheanut pickers from Gumu, a suburb of Tamale, under the National Health Insurance Scheme (NHIS).
She would also seek funds and register more women and their children under the scheme as her contribution to help reduce poverty among sheanut
pickers in the community.
Madam Wood said this on Tuesday at Gumu during the inauguration of the SEKAF Shea Butter Village.
Shea Butter Village was built by SEKAF Ghana Limited to ensure that processing was done in a hygienic environment to meet international
standards.
SEKAF Ghana Ltd is a major African producer and exporter of agricultural produce, unrefined shea butter, shea oil and shea nuts.
Madam Wood, who owns a Shea Butter Cottage in the UK, said shea butter was the only lubricant that could withstand all weather, which was well
patronized by the western world.
She said unfortunately the local production could not meet international standards hence the need to help women at the local level to improve the processing.
Mr Senyo Kpelly, Managing Director of SEKAF Ghana Ltd, said there were experts who were determined to train the local processors on quality
processing, packaging, quality control, warehousing and shipments to ensure that their products remained the best.