Mpohor-Wassa East Assembly assists oil palm farmers with inputs

Daboase (WR), Oct. 5, GNA - The Mpohor-Wassa East District Assembly had spent about GHC 165,949 to procure seedlings for supply to institutions and individual farmers to boost oil palm cultivation in the district on credit.

The programme was initiated about three years ago to encourage the youth particularly to undertake oil palm cultivation and support farmers and institutions to expand existing farms to boost their income levels. By the end of August this year, the assembly had supplied more than 71,000 germinated seedlings procured from the Oil Palm Research Institute (OPRI) at Kade in the Eastern Region to interested farmers and institutions in the district.

Mr Edward Tawiah Amprofi, Mpohor-Wassa East District Chief Executive announced these when addressing the second ordinary meeting of the second session of the fifth assembly at Daboase.

He said about 16,000 oil palm seedlings were available for supply to interested farmers at the nursery and due to lack of funds, the assembly's determination to raise 25,000 seedlings at the pre-nursery towards the project could not be implemented. Mr Amprofi noted that in spite of waiving 20 per cent on cash deposit for the supply of oil palm seedlings to schools in the district only few of them took advantage of the offer to benefit from the package.

Some schools that benefited from the package included Tosen D/C, Amponsaso D/C and K9 D/C primary schools. Mr Amprofi urged assemblymen to liaise with Heads of schools and School Management Committees in their areas to plan and acquire lands to establish oil palm plantations.

He announced that management of Rural Enterprise Project (REP) had provided the district Business Advisory Centre with a vehicle and a motor bike to enhance their operations and advised assemblymen to liaise with the Centre to undertake more income generating activities.