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24.10.2004 Regional News

Farmers in UER urged to avail themselves of modernised agriculture

24.10.2004 LISTEN
By GNA

Navrongo (UE), Oct 25, GNA - President John Agyekum Kufuor on Sunday appealed to farmers in the Upper East Region to avail themselves of the 1,000 tractors imported by the government to modernise agriculture in the area.
He said the tractors were being offered to the farmers on hire purchase, and urged them to form co-operative bodies to benefit from the offer to improve and modernise agriculture in the Region. President Kufuor made the appeal when addressing a durbar of the chief and people of the Kassena-Nankena Traditional Area at Navrongo on the first day of his three-day official tour of the Region. He said the government had not turned a 'blind eye' to the Tono Irrigation Project but efforts would be made to resuscitate it for the benefit of the people.
President Kufuor said the Ministry of Food and Agriculture (MOFA) was making efforts to provide ready-market for farmers and to reduce post-harvest losses by improving on the storage of farm produce. He assured the people that the government would not discriminate against the University of Development Studies (UDS).
President Kufuor announced that 10 million dollars had been set aside to improve on the infrastructure and equipment at the Navrongo, Wa and Kintampo Campuses of the University.
"The UDS is a young university and needs assistance to grow", he said.
He said the Ministry of Local Government and Rural Development (MLGRD) would undertake a survey into the possibility of making Navrongo an Urban Council Area.
The Navro-Pio's representative, Pe Arthur Belinia said those who had failed to appreciate the government's achievements were not being pragmatic or real in their assessment.
He said the government's achievements included the restoration of discipline and virtues in Ghanaians.
Pe Belinia appealed for more assistance to the farmers operating under the Tono Irrigation Project to preserve and market their produce.


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