Former Deputy Minister lauds Gov’t for ‘Planting for Jobs’ Programme

Acting Executive Director of Savannah Ecological Development (SED) has lauded government’s initiative of planting food for jobs indicating that it will open up job avenues for people within the three regions of the north.

Abu Kasangbata who is a former Deputy Upper West Regional Minister observed that that over 75,000 persons will be engaged including 1,200 graduates under the programme.

This he emphasized is all aimed at eradicating food insecurity in the country in line with the, short, medium and long term national development plan of the country.

“I am told that about 1200 graduates will be employed. More than 75,000 persons will also be engaged under the programme all aimed at eradicating food insecurity in the country in line with the, short, medium and long term national development plan. It is necessary to implement it to safeguard the food of the country”, he said.

He is however worried over the criteria for qualification under the programme in the wake of complaints by the Peasant Farmers Association of Ghana that they have been sidelined as well as women; calling on the implementers of programme to take a second look at some of the issues raised.

The former deputy minister also warned against the politicization of the programme indicating that once that is done, it risk not achieving its desired results calling on actors to see it as a national activity geared towards developing the country.

“We need to stay away from the politicization of the programme. We should not play politics because once it is done that way it will diffuse the purpose and people with different political backgrounds will begin to shy away and that will not augur well for the country”, he warned.

Government early this month launched the project is aimed at encouraging every citizen to embrace farming will help the country attain real food sustainability through gardening and serious subsistence and commercial farming.

Government in the 2017 budget earmarked GH?560 million for the initiative expected to create over 70, 000 jobs and will cover will cover 2.5 million farmers nationwide after the pilot process.

Implementation mechanisms for the project have already been rolled out in some parts of the country.

Last month, a technical committee for the implementation of the initiative was set up in the Volta Region according to myjonline.com report.

A total of 7,914 farmers made of 5,885 males and 1,797 females were registered in the Volta Region for the initiative.

Some 4,862 maize farmers in the region will be tasked with the cultivation of a total area of 14,400 Ha.