Gold and oil cannot develop Ghana better than farming -Veep

Vice President John Mahama

Vice President John Dramani Mahama has stated that the destiny of Ghana was not her ability to exploit gold, oil and gas, but that to produce more food to feed her citizens and export some.

He said although gold and oil could contribute substantially to national development, it was only farming that was dependable, and could permanently move the people out of perpetual poverty and deprivation.

He also reminded Ghanaians that farming was not for the poor and illiterates, as perceived by some.

Vice President Mahama stated this when he paid a visit to the National Service Secretariat's 400-hectare farm at Komenda in the Central Region.

The maize farm, one of the seven in five regions, after harvesting, would be sold to Senior High Schools across the country at subsidised prices. It is expected to yield about 8,000 bags.

The farm has only 11 permanent workers, but 2,000 volunteer National Service Personnel.

Vice President Mahama said in Europe and the other parts of the world, most of the rich individuals were farmers, and encouraged Ghanaians, especially, the youth, to take advantage of the Youth in Agriculture Programme to better their lot.

Mr. Kwesi Ahwoi, Minister of Food and Agriculture, said Northern Ghana would soon be fully connected to irrigation facilities to enable the people cultivate maize thrice in a year.

He gave the assurance that the government would do everything possible to make farming an attractive business, and called on students to take advantage of the venture to enrich themselves and become self-reliant.

He said adequate facilities would be provided to farmers willing to use the former sugar factory lands at Komenda to make the area the food basket for the Central and Western regions.

Mr. Vincent Kuagbenu, Director of the National Service Secretariat, said the move was to whip up the enthusiasm of the youth, especially, students, into agriculture to see it as an avenue for self-employment.

He commended the MoFA for the tremendous support in realising their goals, and appealed for more multi-purpose machinery that would facilitate harvesting, shelling and bagging, to avoid on-farm post-harvest losses. – GNA