Aboabo Number Two(Ash), July 18, GNA - About 32 cocoa farmers who lost their cocoa farms through bushfires at Aboabo Number Two in Adansi North District have been provided with 20,000 cocoa seedlings to enable them rehabilitate their farms.

The management of National Disaster Management Organisation (NADMO) provided the seedlings nursed by its Disaster Volunteer Group (DVG). Mr Marslow Freku, Adansi North District NADMO Co-ordinator, addressing the victims and community after the presentation on Tuesday, advised them to refrain from practices that would lead to bushfires and consequently degraded the environment.

He attributed the high spate of bushfire disasters in the district to activities of chainsaw operators most of them who left embers of fuel wood and cigarettes after their operations in the bush, subsequently setting the vegetation around ablaze.

Mr Freku appealed to the chainsaw operators to replant trees that they fell and advised the people to desist from illegal electricity connections identified as a major cause of domestic fires in the area. Nana Atakora Koduah, Deputy Ashanti Regional Co-ordinator of NADMO asked illegal chainsaw operators to stop the practice since it degraded the environment.

He assured them that they would soon be engaged in the agriculture module of the National Youth Employment Programme (NYEP) to enable them enter into commercial farming.

Mr Effah Takyi, Adansi North District Director of Ministry of Food and Agriculture (MOFA), urged them to spray their cocoa farms with 'Akate Master' that had been proved to be potent to control capsid bugs effectively.

Mr Rockson Kwakye-Boateng, assemblyman for the area, expressed appreciation to Government for the infrastructure projects in the community.

However, he appealed to the assembly and stakeholders for assistance to complete the construction of a police station to enhance security in the area.