Former Agona East MP wins District Best Farmer Award

Mr John Kwesi Agyabeng, a former Member of Parliament for Agona East Constituency was on Friday adjudged the overall District Farmer at the 33rd National Farmers’ Day celebration held at Agona Duotu.

The former MP who was also a former District Chief Executive (DCE) for the then Agona District under President Agyekum Kufuor regime started his farming career in 1998.

He took home a double decker fridge, two wellington boots, a bicycle, four plastic chairs, one knap sack spray machine, half piece of cloth, five cutlasses and a certificate.

Police Superintendent Ebenezer Ewudzie Sackey, Agona Swedru Divisional Police Command Pay Master won the second best runner's up farmer in the Agona East District.

The theme for this year's celebration was “Farming for Food and Jobs".

He took home a table top fridge, two wellington boots, one knap sack spray machine, three plastic chairs, a standing fan, half piece of cloth, four cutlasses and certificate of honour.

In all 10 farmers and fishermen were awarded for their hard work and selfless services to the country.

Addressing the farmers, Mr Dennis Armah-Fremong, Agona East District Chief Executive (DCE) commended the farmers for the hard work and dedication which had contributed to the socio-economic advancement of the nation.

The DCE said the farmers apart from producing foods to feed the nation's population also provided raw materials for local industries and exported some to earn foreign exchange.

He stated that the theme was also tandem for policies and programmes under President Nana Akufo-Addo’s government, which aimed at not only producing sufficient food to feed the citizens of the country, but also creating employment.

The DCE disclosed that under the planting for food and jobs programme, the government had supplied over 1,000 bags of fertilizers and vegetable seeds at subsidized prices to farmers in the District.

He stated that under the same policy, the government had supplied over 68 mini bags of improved maize seeds which could increase maize production from 1.65 metric tonnes to 2.00 metric tonnes per hectare next year.

Mr Armah- Fremong said the proposal for the establishment of a factory in the Agona East has been selected among the 187 approved nation-wide, saying that a sod cutting ceremony would soon be held early next year for the commencement of the one district one factory.

He hinted that to ensure the success of the one district one factory policy, the Agona East District Assembly has put in place adequate measures to construct roads, provision of water, electricity and other facilities to enhance implementation of the programme.

The Function was chaired by Nana Kojo Amoakwa V, Krontihene of Nyakrom Traditional Area and Chief of Agona Duakwa.

He called on the Ghana Cocoa Board and National Security to launch full scale investigations into the alleged adjustment of weighing scales used to cheat cocoa farmers by the purchasing clerks of Licensing Buying Companies.

According to the Chief, cocoa farmers in the Agona East District have been complaining about the alleged deductions of five to seven kilos on each bag of cocoa by LBCS when farmers sent their dry cocoa beans to the depots for sell.

He commended the government of the NPP for the initiative of the planting for food and jobs, adding that the policy was laudable and it would create wealth and jobs to reduce poverty.

Mr John Agyabeng, Agona East Best Farmer, on his part praised the government for the honour done him and called on the youth to involve themselves in agriculture.

He called on Ghanaians to patronise the local foods, especially local rice which was best and could also boost the economy and expressed regret that many Ghanaians have resort to use of foreign rice popularly known as perfumed rice.

At Agona West, 10 farmers received various awards with Mr Issac Asare from Agona Nkum emerging as over all best farmer in the Municipality.

Mr Asare took home a motor bike, four plastic chairs, two wellington boots, cassette radio, full piece of cloth, two knap sack spray machines, four cutlasses and a certificate.

Mrs Justina Marigold Assan, Agona West Municipal Chief Executive said under the planting for food and jobs, a total of 456 acres of land have been identified for the cultivation of maize and vegetables to improve the quality of life of farmers.

She said the government had also supplied fertilizers and seeds of maize and other crops to over 2000 farmers in the the Municipality

The MCE said the Assembly has supervised the distributions of seedlings and 1368 bags of fertilizers to 370 farmers in the Municipality under the planting for food and jobs programme.