By Fordjour Mensah, GNA
Kojo Addai, Dec. 7, GNA – Mr Yaw Osei-Boahen, the Asunafo North Municipal Chief Executive (MCE), has underscored the need to reposition agriculture as a business, and not past time venture.
“The best option is a scientific approach to agriculture and value-chain addition towards robust industrialisation drive,” he said.
Mr Osei-Boahen made the call at the 35th Farmers’ Day celebration of the Municipality at Kojo Addai, near Mim in the Asunafo North District, during which 35 farmers and fishers were awarded.
He recalled the launch of the Planting for Food and Jobs in Goaso by the Government a couple of years ago, and said it had attracted several Ghanaians, especially the youth, into agriculture.
This had helped in increased food production, building buffer stocks, ensuring food security and creating employment, he said.
Touching on Planting for Export and Rural Development (PERD), the MCE said it was another spectacular programme introduced by the Government to boost the production of other crops in addition to cocoa for export.
He said under the PERD, the Asunafo North Municipal Assembly was giving preference to cashew and coconut plantations, and had, as a result, distributed 200,000 coffee and 5,000 coconut seedlings to farmers throughout the Municipality.
Mr Osei-Boahen said with the One District One Factory programme, the Asunafo North Municipality would establish a plantain processing factory to add value to raw agriculture, and offer employment to the youth in order to actualize the vision of the President.
Turning to indiscriminate bush burning, he said the dry season was fast approaching and charged the Anti-bush Fire Volunteers not to renege on their efforts but intensify their campaigns to eradicate the menace.
“Let me sound a strong warning to all that this practice would not be tolerated, and anyone found culpable in this act would be ruthlessly dealt with.”
On the December 17 District Assembly and Unit Committee Elections, Mr Osei-Boahen said there was the need for contestant to be more decorous in their campaigns.
“We need to be mindful of our utterances as politicians by adopting convincing campaign strategies to influence the majority of people to vote in our favour. Let me state emphatically that politics of insults and personal attacks should not be countenanced in this Municipality.”
He commended the numerous sponsors for supporting the Assembly in this year’s Farmers Day celebration adding that the partnership showed how government and the private sector could work together to achieve remarkable results.
Mr Abraham Kyenkyehene, the 51-year-old Overall Best Farmer from Goaso, pledged his determination to work hard to attract the necessary recognition at the national level next year.
The theme for this year’s celebration was: “Enhancing Small-scale Agriculture Towards Agribusiness Development.”
GNA
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