Juabeng (Ash) Sept. 5, GNA - The Juabeng Oil Mills in the Ejusu-Juabeng District will by the end of September transplant its first batch of oil palm seedlings under the President's Special Initiatives (PSI) on a 1,200 acres plantation.

Dasebre Otuo Serebuor, Juabenhene, announced this when Vice President Aliu Mahama paid a courtesy call on him at his palace as part of his one-week outreach programme to parts of the Ashanti and Brong-Ahafo regions.

The Omanhene, who was very enthusiastic about the prospects of the project, accompanied the Vice President on an inspection tour of the nursery of crops, where three hundred thousand seedlings were thriving. The PSI Secretariat engaged the Mills to nurse the seedeelings of the cash crop, which has numerous food and industrial uses. Farmers were engaged to grow them under an out-growers scheme.

Dasebre Otuo Serebuor expressed optimism that the project would be successful, saying already the Mills generates its own power from converting its waste into steam and said the power, he said, is shared with neighbouring institutions of the Mills.

The company is making preparations to engage in large scale cropping of vegetables, especially tomato and pepper. Vice President Mahama commended the chief for his efforts and urged him to use the knowledge and experience he acquired in Malaysia, which uses oil palm heavily in the manufacturing and industrial sectors, for the benefit of Ghana.

He said the project would create jobs for the people to help alleviate poverty.

The Vice President later visited Kumawu, Effiduase and Asokore, where he addressed the chiefs and people at separate durbars. At Kumawu, Nana Serwaa Amponsah, commended the Government for upgrading the town's roads and providing it with improved educational facilities and other development projects.

She, however, appealed for the speedy provision of potable water to eliminate the difficulties endured by children and women who walk long distances to fetch water and reiterated that the area (Kwahu) should be made a separate district.

Vice President Mahama briefed the people about efforts being made toward socio-economic growth and good governance and assured them that their requests would be addressed in due course.

Mr Albert Kan Dapaah, Minister of Communications and Technology, Mr Akwasi Osei-Agyei, Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs, Mr Boniface A. Siddique, Deputy Minister of Tourism and the Modernisation of the Capital City, Mr K.T. Hammond, Deputy Minister of Energy and other officials accompanied the Vice President.