Business News of Friday, 18 November 2016

Source: Maxwell Okamafo Addo

We’ll continue to make cocoa farming attractive – Amissah-Arthur

Vice President, Paa Kwesi Bekoe Amissah-Arthur addresses residents at Brong Ahafo Vice President, Paa Kwesi Bekoe Amissah-Arthur addresses residents at Brong Ahafo

Vice President Kwesi Amissah-Arthur has stated that the NDC government would continue to make cocoa farming attractive in the country.

He said government has made many interventions in the sector have helped to reduce rural-urban migration to “enhance incomes and livelihoods and boost rural economies.”

He made the statement when he addressed the chiefs and people of cocoa growing areas in the Brong Ahafo Region as part of his 'Touching Base Campaign' for the NDC for the 2016 elections.

Some of the places he visited were Akrodie, Awewoho-Manhyia, Pomaakrm, Manukrom, Asamura, Fawohoyedin, Ayomso and a whistle stop at Fante all in the Asutifi North constituency of the Bromg Ahafo region.

He reiterates his government will continue to motivate cocoa farmers to ease their work.

Vice president said the NDC government would continue to distribute cocoa seedlings, and the fertilizers such as sulphate of Ammonia “free of charge to farmers.”

Together with the 60 million seedlings for free distribution” and this according to him is aimed at bringing the seedlings closer to the door steps of the farming communities.

Also, he noted his government found this policy significant because it will help to ensure "early growth" and strengthen the economy.

Mr Amissah aid these interventions of his government have created jobs for a total of 62,800 young people in some of these cocoa farming communities.

Vice President kwesi Amissah –Arthur lauded some traditional authorities for helping government address cases of unemployment in their communities. And the NDC government would continue to increase public investment in the Agricultural Sub-sector.

The Vice President said agriculture is the mainstay of the economy of the country and that government would add value to agricultural produce to attract more foreign exchange .So the need to reduce the risk confronting farmers, also as part of government intervention to help farmers they have invested in Cocoa roads and other road sectors, agricultural mechanisation, irrigation and the fisheries, livestock and many other incentives that government is doing to help the agricultural Sector.

Vice President Kwesi Bekoe Amissah-Arthur urged them to maintain the peace and stability of the nation to propel the Government‘s accelerated development agenda.

Vice President Kwesi Amissah-Arthur also assured Ghanaians that a second term of President Mahama’s administration will not only be used for job creation but also for further infrastructural development.

He said the government will continue to ensure that communities will have their fair share of infrastructural development. He said the development of region will be a focus of government.

The Vice President as they can all witness the massive development that has taken place there the need for continuity, so the need to retain the governing National Democratic Congress (NDC) come December 7th presidential and parliamentary elections for it to continue and complete the development projects it was working on.

He used the Occasion to introduce the NDC parliamentary candidate for the area Alhaji Mohhamed Duku to them so that they vote for him to compliment the effort of President Mahama for continuity in development and peace.