Tumu, Jan 26, GNA - The Sissala District Assembly last year spent 274 million cedis as sponsorship for 167 teacher trainees who would return to the district to teach.

The district also supplied furniture and accommodation to some schools in the district as part of its commitment to enhance the development of education.

Mr. Solomon Salia Nmangu, the Sissala East District Chief Executive, said this at a People's Assembly organized at Tumu on Thursday. On food security, he said the district recorded a good yield but urged the farmers not to be complacent as the rainfall pattern in the area was erratic.

He said the government would continue to provide dams and other facilities to enable them engage in dry season gardening. Mr. Ambrose Dery, Upper West Regional Minister, said the government would not discriminate in its bid to find jobs for the unemployed youth in the country and urged also those who have been discriminated against on political grounds to report to his outfit for redress. Mr. Clement Eledi, the Deputy Minister for Food and Agriculture, said the government was drawing a plan to encourage cotton production in the three northern regions.

He said as a starter, the government had tasked Savannah Agricultural Research Institute (SARI) to come out with quality and high yielding seeds.

Negotiations are also far advanced to acquire some quality seeds from Burkina Faso.