We Are Ready To Supply 50,000 Oil Palm Seedlings To Farmers Under Planting For Export - Agona West MCE

Plans are far advanced for Agona West Municipal Assembly to supply over 50,000 Oil Palm seedlings to farmers under Planting for Export and Rural Development Policy, MCE for Agona West, Hon. Mrs. Justina Marigold Assan has announced.

According to her the Assembly was nursing the seedlings for the 2019 major cropping season.

" The Agona West Municipal Assembly has chosen Oil Palm under Planting for Export and Rural Development policy to empower our farmers economically thus reducing poverty and its related hardships

The Assembly is also in the process of setting up a District Centre for Agriculture, Commerce and Technology (DCACT) office where data on agriculture activities would be kept to enable farmers, investors and other interested persons and organizations have easy access to agricultural related information "

Hon. Mrs. Justina Marigold Assan stated these when addressing a Town Hall Meeting organized by the Central Regional Directorate the Information Service (ISD) at Agona Swedru.

Still on agriculture, she noted that Planting for Food and Jobs program was going on smoothly in the municipality adding that so far 5,324 farmers have been registered.

" We have distributed 32 bags of maize out of 60 bags received, 140 tins of cabbage out of 170 tins received and others like tomato and pepper to farmers who have covered 337 acreage of land.

Thankfully, the Assembly has successfully dealt with the outbreak of the Fall Army Worms.

However, we have in stock quantity of the insecticides reserved for control of isolated cases that might crop up.

I also want to put on record that the Assembly has enrolled 148 new beneficiaries into LEAP program after an assessment exercise was conducted by contracted consultant.

In an effort to boost our local economy and in pursuance of the government agenda to create jobs, the Assembly through Business Advisory Centre undertook training programs for 68 individuals in the areas of carpentry, grasscutter rearing, cassava processing and mushroom production "

Hon. Mrs. Justina Marigold Assan further disclosed that she has visited a number of communities in the municipality with the purpose of engagement to acquaint herself with the people and to brief them on government policies as well as the Assembly's programs, plans and regulations.

" The visit also afforded me the opportunity to receive feedback from the people .

Generally, the security situation in the municipality is relatively calm with the exception of few incidents of theft and breaks in. The Security Agencies has however given us their strongest assurance that these incidents would be nipped in the bud.

To this end, a total of 202 Community Protection Assistants have so far been deployed to various communities to beef up security. In addition, a total of 250 streetlights have been installed in the various electoral areas "

The MCE stressed the need for parents to endeavour providing the needs of their wards in school especially those enjoying the free SHS.

" The implementation of the Double Track System has so far gone well in the municipality. This system will eliminate decongestion as a result of the increased number of students due to the introduction of free SHS.

Swedru School of Business and Nyakrom Senior High and Technical School are offering the double track system in the municipality. This means more of our future leaders can now access secondary school education. "

In conclusion, Hon. Mrs. Justina Marigold Assan commended Qatar Ambassador to Ghana, His Excellency Muhammad Ahmed Al-Hamid and Qatar Charity for constructing a total of twenty-five (25) mechanized boreholes at the cost of Ghc 500,000 for some selected communities in the municipality.

She noted that by this kind gesture, the beneficiary communities which hinder to had to rely on unhygienic drinking water would now enjoy potable drinking water.

The Central Regional Director of the Information Service Department, Mr. Kofi Dei disclosed that Town Hall meetings were being held across the country to sensitise the people about government's programs, policies and innovations to improve their standard of living.

He said government had secured enough funds to support farmers under Planting for Food and Jobs as well as Planting for Export and Rural Development.

He therefore called of farmers, investors and civil society to take advantage of the offer to go into farming.

The Agona West Municipal Director of the Ghana Education Service, Madam Elizabeth Helen Essel also briefed the participants about the success story of the Free SHS policy in the municipality.

The participants were made up of Members of Ghana Private Road Transport Union (GPRTU), Progressive Transport Owners Association (PROTOA), Association of Garages, Ghana Beauticians Association, Tailors and Dressmakers Association, Civil Society Groups and Assembly Members.

The Agona West Municipal Officer of the Information Service Department, Mr. Charles Nkrumah and his colleagues from Gomoa Central and Ajumako-Enyan-Essiam, Madam Comfort Morgan and Mr. Raymond Coffie attended the meeting to support their Boss.