Women petty traders and hawkers around the Fiapre tollbooth on the Sunyani- Berekum highway in the Bono Region have expressed their confidence in President John Dramani Mahama, urging him to implement his sound socio- economic economie-policies.

They said they welcomed the government's decision to re-open the tollbooth and establishment of the Women Development Bank with joy, and anticipated that the President facilitate the opening of the tollbooth and the establishment of the Bank. Dr Cassiel Ato Forson, the Minister of Finance announced the allocation of GHC51.3 million as a seed capital for the establishment of the Women's Development Bank when he presented the 2025 budget statement to parliament. The bank establishment aims to provide soft loans women in small scale business businesses to expand and enhance their socio-economic livelihoods and thereby contribute significantly to economic development.

In an interview with Sompa at Fiapre in the Sunyani West Municipality, the petty traders and hawkers comprising bread and sachet water sellers, food and fruit venders as well as those selling pastries said the closure of the tollbooth by the previous administration had slowed down their economic activities. They said the economic activities of many of the traders around the tollbooth had collapsed, and called on President Mahama to expedite action for the re- opening to the tollbooth.

Sompaonline.com