Rawlings expresses worry about low agriculture production in Ghana

Flt. Jerry John Rawlings has called on farmers to be more productive, expressing worry that Burkina Faso, Ghana’s close neighbour is becoming more successful in agriculture than the nation.

Burkina Faso which was eventually becoming a desert has been able to engage in more farming than Ghana , which have rich and vast lands which could have always been kept in efficient use.

Former President Rawlings made the call in Nandom at this year’s Kakube festival, celebrated by the people annually to mark the end of the farming season.

Flt Lt Rawlings also touched on the need for greening the environments, stating that “we are all responsible for the environment”.

He lauded the Nandom Naa (Paramount Chief) Dr Puore Chiir VII, for imposing a bye law on bush burning in the Nandom community, which prevented community members from burning the bush especially in the dry season.

Touching on corruption and injustice the former leader said it still high in the country and urged all to help curb the menace which is an obstacle to the country’s development.

He commended Dr Benjamin Kunbuor, Attorney-General and Minister of Justice , who is National Democratic Congress Parliamentary Candidate for Nandom and Mr Ambrose Dery , incumbent Member of Parliament for New Patriotic Party , who is seeking re-election for their decency, unity of purpose and maturity in their political campaigns.

Naa Chiir, who is also President of Upper West Regional House of Chiefs expressed his appreciation to the government for the creation of Nandom District as well as a constituency.

“The creation of the new district , I am sure will not only bring about socio-economic development to the Nandom Traditional Area but this will prevent our youth from migration to the south in search of non–existing jobs, “ he noted.

Naa Chiir explained that the Kakube festival is agriculture related, which helps the people to take stock of their yearly harvest and also to thank God for a good harvest.

He however called on government not to forget its promise of constructing a dam at Kamba to aid irrigation in the area since the rainfall pattern is erratic.

Other request made included the tarring of the Hamile –Nandom-Lawra-Nadowli road and the rehabilitation of a number of feeder roads within the Nandom traditional area namely the hospital, Konyugang, Domaje, Tom road and Danko-Brutu road.

Naa Chiir appealed to everybody in the traditional area in particular and Ghana at large to maintain the peace before, during and after the December 7 elections.

President John Dramani Mahama, in a speech read on his behalf observed that agriculture remains the mainstay of the economy.

To help boost food security and provide employment opportunities for the people, he said government is exploring the possibility of providing an irrigation facility at Kamba as a long-term measure to address the erratic rainfall in the area.

President Mahama entreated the people to cooperate with officials of the assembly by paying their taxes and levies and faithfully join in activities that are geared towards the development of the new district.