Mamponteng (Ash), June 6, GNA - Over 500 farmers have refused to repay loans granted to them by Government at the Kwabre District of Ashanti Region, Mr Samuel Semakor, the District Director of Agriculture on Friday said. He said the loans, which ranged from GH¢50 to GH¢720 were granted to the farmers since 2005 in the form of farm inputs. Mr Semakor said this at the District People's Assembly held at the Mamponteng Parish Hall in the District.

The forum organized by the District Assembly, saw 45 peoples and five chiefs contributing through questions and suggestions. Mr Semakor said efforts made to get the farmers to repay the loans, had failed and as a result, the loan directorate had decided not to offer loans to farmers again, unless the farmers proved that they were prepared to pay. Mr Kofi Frimpong, the Member of Parliament (MP) for Kwabre East in a contribution said, farmers in the District had disappointed him, because he himself went to the Minister of Food and Agriculture and took some of the loans for them. He said the unfortunate aspect of it, was that the situation had brought a rift between him and the Minister. On street lights at Mamponteng, the MP said many have been provided adding, there were still some bulbs in stock for other areas. Alhaji Akwasi Yeboah, the District Chief Executive (DCE) of the area, assured the chiefs and people that effort was being made to complete the Mamponteng Market that had become a major problem for the Assembly.

He said the Assembly in collaboration with the Water and Sanitation Agency as well as the beneficiary communities had constructed 204 boreholes adding that, there were currently an on-going project to provide 57 institutional latrines to schools and clinics. On the District Mutual Health Insurance Scheme, the DCE stressed that 101,194 people constituting about 65 per cent have registered with the Scheme.

Under the National Youth Employment programme, he said, a total of 792 persons have been engaged to work under the various modules of the programme. Alhaji Yeboah said the Assembly has constructed 64 classroom blocks in various communities in the District, whilst seven new ones were under construction.

He said the Assembly has also constructed 12 health facilities including accommodation for nurses and other health workers. It was also constructing four bungalows and six-unit block of flats for workers. Mr. Osei Assibey Antwi, the Deputy Ashanti Regional Minister said President Kufuor has built strong good economic governance and there was the need for the people to vote for Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo, Presidential Candidate for the New Patriotic Party (NPP) to take over from him.