General News of Thursday, 3 December 2009

Source: GNA

CPP hails farmers

Accra, Dec. 3, GNA - The Convention People's Party (CPP) on Thursday hailed farmers in Ghana and Africa for their "undying love for humanity" saying no human being can live without food regardless of race, class or gender.

In a statement released in Accra to mark Farmers' Day, which falls on Friday, the party said the backbone of Ghana's economy had always been its farmers who had made great contributions for their patriotism in a number of unselfish ways.

The CPP said the government's promise to revive the state farms was in the right direction but it must go further to bring back the Workers' Brigade.

The statement said during the CPP administration under the leadership of Osagyefo Dr Kwame Nkrumah, the state farms cultivated 24,000 acres of rubber, oil palm, banana, coconut and citrus. "Together with the agricultural wing of the Workers' Brigade, which alone had 12,500 acres, the two institutions also cultivated large acres of cereals and vegetables."

The party called on the government to reject all kinds of conditions attached to loans that prevent farmers from receiving subsidies from the government.