Best Farmer chides Daily Searchlight over political tag

This year’s National Best Farmer says reports that his award was politically motivated are misplaced.

Mr Lemuel Kwashie Martey of Mannah Farms Limited in Accra was last week adjudged the 2012 National Best Farmer.

News making the round indicates he is a loyal member of the National Democratic Congress (NDC) and an executive at Kpone Katamanso who has done little or nothing to deserve such award.

The Daily Searchlight reported that Mr Martey won the award only because of his loyalty to the ruling government.

According to the paper, the government failed to do due diligence in giving the award to the right person.

But Mr Kwashie Martey told XYZ NEWS the reports are discouraging “because if we are really inspiring young people to go into agric and then a young man through hard work and determination has come this far and other people through their selfish interests go ahead with such publications, then it is just unfortunate.”

He said educated people did the selection and decided that he was the farmer who has excelled the most for the year and that such a publication is an insult to them.

He said he has a plethora of farms and that “if they can’t celebrate him then he wishes them well.”

Asked if he was a member of the NDC, Mr. Martey said he is surprised at the allegation, adding that he is a preacher in the Methodist Church and therefore does not participate in any political activity.