Bolgatanga, May 4, GNA - Mr. Mark Woyongo, Upper East Regional Minister, said that government would soon implement measures to improve agriculture to create employment and facilitate development in the Northern part of the country. He said they included revamping of the tomato factory to operate at maximum capacity, rehabilitation and construction of dams and putting to work the cotton ginnery, to increase production.

Mr. Woyongo was speaking at a reception organized by the Regional Coordinating Council (RCC), for best workers in the region, at the weekend in Bolgatanga. He said the Savannah Accelerated Development Authority (SADA), had allocated an initial capital of 200 million Ghana Cedis for agricultural development in the Northern sector. Mr. Woyongo said the International Fund for Agriculture Development (IFAD), and the Canadian Development Agency (CIDA), had also released 160 million dollars and 140 million dollars respectively for the promotion of agriculture and other development ventures in the area. He said "The focus is on agriculture because the Northern sector has a lot of potentials in agricultural development and I can assure you that very soon, we will have no problem of unemployment and poverty that continually force the youth to go elsewhere in search of jobs".

Mr. Woyongo said safety materials would be provided to women for the collection of sheanut and a Board set up to regulate the activities of the sheanut industry. He urged workers in the region to contribute meaningfully to the development of the area and gave the assurance that salaries of workers would soon be increased to enable them to live comfortably. Mr. Woyongo pledged to cooperate with workers for the progress of the region and advised them to use dialogue in addressing grievances instead of resorting to strikes or demonstrations that could result in inconveniences.