The District Chief Executive for Ho West District in the Volta Region, Mr. Ernest Apaw, has encouraged chiefs not to discourage the youth who wish to go into agriculture.
He said “many of the chiefs have refused to give out lands to the youth to cultivate, and they themselves are also not cultivating the lands”, describing their attitude as retrogressive.
While addressing a durbar of farmers at the 34th Farmers’ day celebration in Abutia Kisiflui in Volta Region, the DCE bemoaned the fact only fewer old men and women were engaged in commercial farming, which threatens food security in the near future.
He urged the youth to get involved in farming, by taking advantage of government’s agric-support-initiatives such as planting for food and jobs.
Mr. Apaw further assured the farmers of government’s commitment to making the business of farming easier.
The nightmare of farmers and by extension, the agric sector, is the outbreak of bush fires. The sector continues to lose tones of farm produce and millions of cedis to the canker annually.
At a durbar held at Ave-Kpeduhoe in the Akatsi North District to mark this year’s farmers’ day, the District Commander of the Ghana Fire Service, Assistant Divisional Officer Grade I (A.D.O.I), Francis Akutsa, has admonished farmers to be careful of such practices that can put their farms and those of others at the mercy of the season.
He asked persons who engage in reckless activities that lead to fire outbreaks to be mindful and be more responsible for their actions, adding that, they would be fined or prosecuted when caught.
“We know farmers play a vital role in our lives, but one thing that remains a challenge is bush fire, especially during the harmattan season. So, I want to take this opportunity to entreat such persons like palm wine tappers, charcoal burners and even you the farmers to be careful about how you handle fire, so that we don’t lose our crops and other properties to bush fires,” he said
“If you have a palm plantation, I advise you construct a fire belt around the plantation to prevent it from catching fire” he added.
The Commander assured that his outfit will intensify education on such activities to reduce the tendencies of fire outbreaks in the district.
He equally asked assembly members to organize farmers in their electoral areas, so that the outfit will engage them on the causes and control measures of bush fires in the coming days.
“…And the assembly members, please I can’t do enough here today. I implore you to gather farmers and even children in your electoral areas so that we will come around and do more of the education with them”.
The District Chief Executive for Akatsi North, Dr. Prince Sodoke Amuzu, also entreated the youth to take advantage of government’s policies like the planting for food and jobs, as well as the “Rearing for food and jobs” to be introduced in 2019.
The durbars were also used to award some hard working farmers in the area.
–
By : Benjamin Aklama | citinewsroom.com | [email protected] | Ghana
The post Support the youth with farm lands – Ho West DCE tells chiefs appeared first on Citi Newsroom.
Read Full Story
Facebook
Twitter
Pinterest
Instagram
Google+
YouTube
LinkedIn
RSS