Opinions of Wednesday, 27 November 2013

Columnist: Sadik, Alhassan Abubakar

Improved technology in farming is the way-forward

....in ghana’s agricultural sector

The Shandong group of companies led by its Chief Executive Officer (CEO) Mr. Jiang Wuzheng, with four other Chinese Nationals and their five Ghanaian partners, whose expertise are mainly into improve Technology in farming and highly equipped with innovative manufacturing machineries Call on the Northern Regional Minister, Honourable Bede Zeideng, at the Northern Regional Coordinating Council (NRCC), on Tuesday, Today, at the NRCC.
Briefing the delegation the National Director of LESDEP, Mr. Edem Gariba, on behalf of the team, disclosed that his outfit is to partnered with the Shandong Group to established a manufacturing and assembling plant in Tamale and other parts of the country such as Accra and Kumasi with the aim of injecting technology in the Country ‘s agric sector.
He said the plant will produced and assemble equipments; these he outlined as wheeler tracks, Motor kings, Bowler Taxies, power Tiller Machine that could be used for sanitation and agricultural purposes.
Mr. Gariba, stressed that the Shandong companies, with with their immense track record in the international arena, have the wherewithal to execute similar thing in Ghana if the Ghanaian government and the authorities in the Region would give them the maximum support.
On his part Mr. Jiang wezheng, who also double as the chairman of the Shandong groups, commended the country and the region for the rapid socio economic progress it has attained in improving the living condition of the Ghanaian citizenry countrywide.
Mr. Wezheng, said 30 years ago the local farming practice which China was engaged with is still widely used in the Country, stressing that the authorities should take a pragmatic approach in employing highly technological methods of farming to achieve its derive for agricultural agenda.
The CEO of Shandong group said, as part of it’s intend projects into the Northern region it would also embarked on the commercialised rice cultivation that would be aiming at producing rice for export outside the country.
He observed that the current generation of youths are not too attracted to farming which must be a course for concern to the leaderships of the country and this stemmed from the fact that technology deriving expertise has not been duly embraced.
Mr. Wezheng, hinted that plans are underway by the Chinese government with their Ghanaian counterparts to transfer their farming technological know- how to the country in helping to boost its quest in improving the agricultural based of the economy.
An elated Northern Regional Minister Hon. Bede Ziedeng, having fed with the good News from his Chinese guest Mr.Jiang Wezheng, in his quick response assured the Shandong Group of companies that the government of Ghana would be more than ready to accept this laudable initiatives they intend to blessed the region with.
Hon. Ziedeng intimated that the project when kick- start would significantly addressed the unemployment problem in the region adding that it is our responsibility as government to ensure that the project is being realised.
The Deputy Northern Regional Minister, Hon. Alhaji A.B.A. Fuseini, apparently also uplifted with the News said currently Ghana spent over 500 Million dollars to import rice into the country and when the rice project commenced the region would bounced back to its former glory as it was being done in some years back.
He further assured the Shandong group of companies that the the region is peaceful and stable for any viable investment to take place.