There will be improvement in the spraying of cocoa this year

Kumeso (Ash), July 21, GNA - Mr Benjamin Asonaba-Dapaah, a Member of Council of State, has said that there will be a marked improvement in the spraying of cocoa this year. He said the two spraying exercises had brought out major problems and bottlenecks associated with the programme, which would be addressed before the exercise begins this year. Mr Asonaba-Dapaah was addressing a joint durbar of chiefs and people of Kumeso and Odubi in the Asante-Akim South District during a working visit to the area. He called on the people who would be engaged in the spraying exercise to work assiduously to ensure the success of the programme and win the confidence of the farmers.

Mr Asonaba-Dapaah said the government was committed to the welfare and development of the rural dwellers and therefore, asked them to support the government to realise this objective. He urged the unit committees and the assembly members to work in close harmony to develop their areas and advised them to seek directives from the District Chief Executive on issues they did not understand. Dr Lord Justice Gyamfi-Fenteng, the District Chief Executive, stressed the need for people, who benefit from poverty alleviation and other government funds to make it known to others for them to appreciate the efforts government was making towards poverty alleviation. He said loans granted to people were not gifts and that people must therefore, repay their loans promptly for others to benefit. He announced that 16 communities, including Kumeso and Odubi are to benefit from the fourth phase of the Self-Help Electrification Programme (SHEP) this year.

The DCE therefore, asked them to complete the erection of the low tension poles and the wiring of their houses and schools in the area before the programme starts. Dr Gyamfi-Fenteng said he was happy about the love and unity existing between the two towns and noted that it would ensure effective development of the area. Nana Appiah Kubi II, chief of Kumeso, commended the government for its efforts to help farmers to improve on their standard of living and appealed to farmers, especially cocoa farmers to work hard to resuscitate the economy. He called on the government to extend the road rehabilitation programme from Obogu to Kumeso to enable them to cart their produce to the marketing centres.

Nana Ofosu Ababio, chief of Odubi, called on the district assembly to build a new school block for the community to replace the old building, which is in a deplorable state. He said the community was prepared to work in concert with the assembly on the 34-acre land set aside by the community for the assembly to develop it into farms.