Youth in Agric Project takes off in Dangme West District

Dodowa, May 26, GNA - The President's Special Initiative for Youth in Agriculture under the National

Youth Employment Programme (NYEP), had taken off in the Dangme West District. The 500 million Ghana Cedi project, would benefit about 250 farmers in communities including Shai,

Ningo, Prampram and Osudoku. Mr Emmanuel Anyimi Odoi, Dangme West District Chief Executive (DCE), who disclosed this at Dodowa

on Monday, said the 250-acre land worth millions of cedis, had been allocated to the Assembly for the

Project by the Roman Catholic Mission. He said a Dam which would be used for Aquaculture and irrigation purposes, had also be given to the

Assembly for those who would be interested in fish farming Mr. Odoi stated that about 14,000 fingerlings were placed in the dam last month, and 4,000 fishes had

already been harvested. He noted that the Project would not only create job opportunities for the Youth, but would also serve as

additional revenue for the Assembly to embark on other developmental projects. Nii Quaye Kumah, District Agricultural Director, said the Project was in response to President Atta Mills'

call for a better Ghana Agenda and the NYEP. He explained that the Project would include, cultivation of plantain, maize, yam, mango, pineapple,

vegetable crops, fish farming and livestock rearing. Mr. Kumah believed that the Project would create job opportunities for the Youth in the district, and also

liberate the district from poverty. Mr. Emmanuel Abuanor Nortey, District Co-ordinating Director, said that the Project would stop the

Youth in the district from migrating to the cities to look for non-existing white colour jobs. He advised the youth to embrace the Project and disabuse their minds about Agriculture as a profession

for drop-outs, including the poor, but to rather see it as a business. Mr. John Kwaku Odei, Chairman of the Dangme West Farmers Association, was grateful to the National

Democratic Congress (NDC) government, for fulfilling part of its campaign promises to the Dangme West

District. He also thanked Reverend Father Andrew Campbell for releasing the land and the dam to the Assembly

for the commencement of the project. Mr. Odei called on the Ministry of Food and Agriculture, to provide the farmers with modern farming

equipment, and other inputs to improve their agricultural productivity. 25 May 10