Accra, Nov. 1, GNA - Mr George Arthur, NDC-Amenfi Central, on Tuesday called for assistance for the Amenfi-Central Constituency to solve the water problems facing the area.

"Amenfi Central where visitors were once welcomed with fresh cool natural forest water, is now greeted with water infested with larvae." He said the area had no potable water and the river bodies in the areas had been contaminated by the activities of small-scale miners. Mr Arthur, in a statement to Parliament, said the situation had affected the retention of service providers such as teachers, who could not cope with the water crisis.

Earlier, the Minister of Food and Agriculture, Mr Ernest Debrah, who was in the House to answer questions, said the Ministry was re-evaluating the potential of the youth in the promotion of agriculture and was "currently setting the stage for a comprehensive programme. "Under this programme, the Ministry plans to entice the youth into agriculture by making agriculture attractive."

He said under the programme, chiefs and landowners would be approached to make land available in their locality for the youth. He said the Ministry would then plough such lands and "provide planting materials and agro-chemicals for the interested youth." "Mr Speaker, the Ministry is in discussions with the Agric Development Bank, which has also launched a Youth in Agric programme so as to harmonise and make the programme cost effective."