The businessman says school dropouts, widows and orphans will be among those targeted in a nationwide scheme aimed at putting people to work in the garment trade.
Businessman and philanthropist Alhaji Seidu Agongo is preparing to give out 10,000 sewing machines free of charge to women and vulnerable young people across Ghana, in what he describes as a livelihood and skills initiative rather than a one-off donation.
The programme is being run with the National Entrepreneurship and Innovation Programme (NEIP), the state-backed body set up to support start-ups and small businesses. Daily Guide Network reported the plan, which is intended to help beneficiaries begin or grow work in dressmaking, tailoring and other parts of the garment industry.
Who is being targeted
Alhaji Agongo said school dropouts, widows, orphans and other socially disadvantaged people will make up a significant share of those selected. His argument is that many of them already have the drive to improve their lives but lack the basic tool or capital to start.
"Across our country, I have seen at first hand the struggles of many young people and families," he said, adding that many of them "need only a little support to break free from poverty and build sustainable livelihoods."
He said the idea came out of his travels around the country, where he observed the conditions in which many underprivileged households live.
Non-partisan, he insists
With distribution schemes of this size, questions about political colouring are almost automatic in Ghana. Alhaji Agongo said the initiative is strictly non-partisan and that guidelines have been drawn up to keep the selection transparent and fair, with equal access for people in all parts of the country.
The source report does not give a start date, a regional breakdown of the 10,000 machines, or the application process. Those details would be worth watching for anyone hoping to benefit.
A record of giving
Alhaji Agongo, who founded the now-defunct Heritage Bank, has a long history of charitable work in education, health and disaster relief.
In July this year he donated food, clothing and other relief items valued at GH¢1.4 million to people affected by the floods of 29 June 2026, which hit several communities in Accra.
He has also supported Korle Bu Teaching Hospital, Ghana's largest referral hospital, with medical equipment and infrastructure. Other interventions have included building and renovating school blocks, paying school fees and supplying learning materials for children from poor homes, and settling hospital bills for patients who could not afford them.
He linked the giving to his faith. "Giving is not a choice but a duty," he said, describing service to humanity as service to Allah.
Why it matters
Tailoring remains one of the most accessible trades in Ghana, needing relatively little capital once a machine is in hand. For Ghanaians abroad who regularly send money home to support relatives learning a trade, a scheme of this scale could ease part of that burden, provided the machines reach the people they are meant for.
Alhaji Agongo said he wants the distribution to help thousands build businesses that last and add to the wider economy.
