Agona Nkum (C/R), Dec 31, GNA - Cocoa framers in the Agona District of the Central Region owe a total of 1.5 billion cedis for fertiliser supply under the first phase of the Hi-Tech programme to improve their yield. Mr Ben Mensah, District Chief Executive, who announced this at Agona Nkum said it was sad that farmers had reneged on the payment of loans and other facilities. The fertiliser was supplied between 2002 and 2004 to be paid in the next cocoa season.

Mr Mensah stated that the government pledged to improve the living standard of farmers and would not shirk its responsibility in ensuring that they benefited from their toil. He appealed to the beneficiaries of the programme, as a matter of urgency to pay back the loan to enable others to enjoy the facility. The DCE said that five primary schools in the District had been selected for the government's free feeding programme for primary school pupils.

The schools are Kwaman Methodist Primary, Kukurantumi ADA Primary, Duabone Catholic Primary, Asafo Zion Primary and Kwesi Paintsil Primary schools. He called on parents and guardians to advantage of the capitation grant to enrol their children since education was the key to development and poverty reduction. Mr Mensah announced that the District Health Insurance Scheme had taken off and appealed to those who had not registered to do so and said with 72,000 cedis a year, parents and children under 18 could get free medical attention. He explained that the government introduced the scheme as a way of abolishing the cash and carry system.