The Savannah Accelerated Development Authority (SADA) is to support the Ministry of Food and Agriculture (MOFA) to recruit more agriculture extension officers who are in short supply at the SADA zone.

The Director of SADA in charge of integrated programmes, Dr Emmanuel Abeere-Inga, announced this to the Ghana News Agency (GNA) when he met the Northern Patriots in Research and Advocacy (NORPRA) to discuss SADA’s opportunities and what it has achieved so far in Bolgatanga, Upper East Region at the weekend.

Dr Abeere-Inga explained that the recruitment was necessary because lack of agriculture extension officers in the ecological regions and districts were affecting SADA in its implementation of the Agriculture Mechanization Component.

SADA, he noted, would take the cost of the workers’ salaries for a period of five years after which it would hand over the responsibility to MOFA.

He said SADA from next year would bring on board tertiary students through the National Service programme to be trained in trade, industrialization and business management after which they would be supported to form a partnership to establish companies.

He said SADA had a brighter future that could bridge the gap of poverty between the north and the south, and announced that plans were far advanced by the Authority, to use Geographical Positioning Instrument (GPI) to monitor the number of trees it had planted so far under the project.

This, he noted would help address the public outcry that SADA had not planted trees, adding that an investigation would also be conducted into the Guinea Fowl Project scandal.

“We will hold the private partners who are partnering us to execute the afforestation and the Guinea Fowl Project accountable if they are found culpable. SADA have a brighter future and must succeed,” he stressed.

He entreated the general public not to hesitate to point out the shortfalls of the implementation processes since money invested in SADA was tax payers’ money.

He said SADA last year brought some head porters (Kayaye) from the southern parts of the country and empowered them to go into butter nut farming in the Northern and Upper West regions. The produce of which he said is exported to the United Kingdom.

Dr Abeere-Inga also said last year, SADA brought another batch of head porters from the southern parts, and made them acquire artisan training, and they had now set up their businesses and employed others.

“SADA is curbing rural urban migration and reducing poverty. A lot of impact will be made after its 25 years of implementation and the gap of poverty that exists between the north and the south will be bridged”, the Director assured Ghanaians.

He indicated that SADA will this farming season, support rice farmers in the Fumbisi Valley with tractors and that plans were far advanced by the Volta River Authority and the World Bank, to develop the Pwalugu Dam into Irrigation project and Hydro project.

This, he added, would help generate jobs for the teaming youth who often migrate to the southern parts in such of non-existent jobs.

Mrs Bismark Ayorogo Adongo, the President of NORPRA, commended SADA management for the briefing and expressed optimism that they would position themselves to take advantage of the opportunities.