Farmers express disappointment at MPs

Tamale, March 2, GNA - Farmers from the three northern regions have expressed disappointment at their Members of Parliament for their lack of interest to promote the interest of farmers and pressing the government to revamp the cotton industry.

This was contained in a statement issued in Tamale on Tuesday and signed by the Chairman of the Concern Farmers Association, Chief Alhaji Abudulair Ibrahim.

They said they had come to realize that the MPs had done nothing to draw the attention of government to the perennial problems and difficulties facing farmers and cotton farming in particular neither had they shown any concern about their plight over the years towards cotton cultivation. It said what was most disheartening was the fact that most of these MPs trace their background to agricultural upbringing yet they had forgotten their roots.

"Indeed, they have shown us that politicians must not be trusted though it is only elections that the farmer can have any pride" it stated. The farmers said it was sad to that cultivation of cotton begins 70 days away but government's promise of providing ploughing services, farm inputs for the cultivation of the crop as well as steps to revamp the sector as promised had not yet yielded any desired results.

"All our machineries numbering 13 ginneries which are used for processing cotton have been laid idle for about eight years without any operational work due to government's neglect of the sector leaving about 1.3 million cotton farmers jobless all due to the laxity of the MPs while their counterparts of the south are pressing for the needs and interest of their constituents."

The statement said cotton was the only crop that could alleviate the sufferings and poverty in the three northern regions and that the MPs' failure to draw government's attention to their plight meant they do not have their interest at heart. "We just want to make it clear to them that it is we who voted them and we would vote them out if they fail to take action and appeal to government to revamp cotton production," it said. 02 March 10