Disabled, Ex-Jss Student Honoured On Farmers' Day

TEN PEOPLE including a disabled and ex-Junior Secondary School (JSS) student were honoured at this year's National Farmers' Day celebration by the Asuogyaman District at New Akrade.

The best district farmer award went to Mr. Samuel Numo Tettey, 45, from Okwedom-Yaneema near Akosombo.

Tettey received a bicycle, textile prints, a pair of Wellington boots and six pieces of cutlasses.

In addition, Tettey and his wife are to spend two nights at the Akosombo Volta Hotel as guests in recognition of their hard work.

Other recipients included John Yirenkyi Atua, Anum-Oseben in maize production, Mr. Emmanuel Opoku Darko, bee-keeping, Mr. John Tamatey, livestock, Madam Comfort Yawa Nyagbe (teacher), poultry, Mr. Stephen Sewu, fisheries, Mr. Dodzie Fiawonu (the disabled) and William Agley, youth farmer from Mpakadan.

Addressing the farmers, the District Chief Executive (DCE) for Asuogyaman, Dr. G. K. Siaw noted that the celebration of Farmers' Day each year serves as a vital motivation to the country's farmers and fishermen in order to sustain their efforts towards increasing the quality and quantity of food.

In the same vein, Dr. Siaw said the day also serves as a good opportunity for those who have taken to agriculture to consider seriously putting their shoulders on the wheel.

The DCE reminded them that the four pilot districts selected under President J.A. Kufuor's special initiative on cassava starch production for export, the Asuogyaman district would be one of the major exporters.

Dr. Siaw indicated that, next year, the district would ensure that the construction of a starch factory to produce enough starch for export would materialize.

The starch factory, according to the DCE, would be owned by the farmers themselves under Cooperative Village Enterprise (COVE) whereby farmers would manage and take decisions by themselves.

The District Director of Agriculture, Papa Kwao Bartels, appealed to the loitering youth to take to farming seriously.

Nana Okuru Katah IV, Chief of New Akrade who chaired the function congratulated the award winners and expressed the hope that everyone would now be involved in agriculture.

Among the dignitaries at the function were Hon. Emmanuel Dwamena Bekoe, Member of Parliament (MP) for Asuogyaman, Alhaji Farouk, District Police Commander, Miss Augustina M. Aboagye, District Director of Education (GES), Mr. Kwabena Adjei of the Bank of Ghana and Mr. Martin Agemabiese of the Volta Lake Transport Company (VLTC) Limited.