Farmers excited by government’s pension scheme proposal

Farmers have welcomed government’s decision to establish a pension scheme purposely for farmers especially for those into cash crops to cater for their needs when they grow old.

The government, since assuming office in less than a year has initiated some interventional policies in the agricultural sector to cushion and support farmers aimed at expanding the sector to achieve its vision of making Ghana the food basket of Africa.

The initiatives includes Planting for Food and Jobs, One district One factory, One district One warehouse, and subsidisation of fertilisers.

The introduction of the pension scheme, according to the 2016 national best farmer Mr. Robert Crentsil, is a clear indication that, the NPP administration is a listening government that cares about the welfare of the people, especially farmers.

He however appealed to government to walk the talk by ensuring that the pension scheme materialised and reflected in the lives of farmers. The 42 year old multi-purpose farmer from the Ejumako-Enyan-Essiam District of the Central Region was reacting to the 2018 budget where the finance minister announced the scheme, which he said has excited most of his colleague farmers.

In an interview with OnuaFM, Mr. Crentsil said the scheme has the propensity of making farming lucrative and attractive to the youth to help reduce unemployment rate in the country.

The Informal Sector Pension Scheme under the third tier of the National Pension Scheme will cover cocoa farmers among others. The framework to operationalise the scheme will be developed in 2018, the finance minister said.