Mr Samuel Ofosu-Ampofo, Eastern Regional Minister, has commended the All Nations University College (ANUC) in Koforidua, for establishing a Women's Development Centre (WDC) to give free education to women who for some reasons could not have access to education.
He said it was an undeniable fact that due to factors like poverty, many women had no access to education resulting in a large informal sector being manned by illiterate women thus affecting the access to education by their children also.
Mr Ofosu-Ampofo was addressing the graduation of 71 adult women who had gone through different levels of training in English and Twi, Business and Accounting and remedial tutorials to be able to sit for the Senior Secondary
School Certificate Examination (SSSCE).
He said he was equally overwhelmed that the WDC, apart from the free education being given to women, was also catering for 200 vulnerable
children across the country to have access to quality education.
He therefore called on cooperate institutions to lend their support to the programme to embrace more children.
The Regional Minister said the empowerment of women could not be downplayed in the achievement of a holistic human resource development to be able to compete in the global world.
He said if Ghana needed a holistic development of its human resource, then the issue of women and illiteracy must be given a critical look.
This is because it was only when women were educated that they became enlightened on developmental issues for the benefit of the society.
Mr Ofosu-Ampofo lauded the ANUC for introducing the study of Petrol-chemical Engineering to meet the demands of the oil industry.
He urged individuals in private businesses to invest in hostels and other forms of accommodation at affordable rates for the students.
The Women Development Centre was established as a component of the All Nations International Development Agency (ANIDA) by the Reverend Dr Samuel Donkor, President of the University and his wife, Mrs Rose Donkor to provide
education and entrepreneurial skills for women to ensure that they enjoyed better lifestyles.
The centre had currently trained over 500 women free of charge in various aspects leading to some registering for the Basic Education
Certificate Examination (BECE) and SSSCE, with some gaining admission into the Polytechnics and the Universities.