Akuapem North Assembly makes land available for Youth in Agriculture

Kwamoso, Nov 12, GNA- The Akuapem North District Assembly, has offered 160 acres of land at Kwamoso and Okrakwadwo for the Youth in Agriculture module under the National Youth Employment Programme (NYEP). The project aims at creating employment and means of livelihood for over 500 youth in the Akuapem area.

For a start, about 60 farming groups and organizations have registered and applied to take part in the programme. The District Coordinator of the NYEP, Mr. Isaac Livingstone Asamoah, made this known to the GNA after conducting the District Chief Executive (DCE), Mr. George Opare Addo, around the land sites to ascertain preparations for the programme. He said under the programme, the youth would be supplied with initial cost of labour and seedlings for maize, beans, vegetables and food crops such as cassava on yearly basis.

According to Mr. Asamoah, the assembly would be helping in the sale of the produce of which 40 percent of the profit would be paid into the assembly's coffers to serve as a revolving fund for starters. He said under the diverse agriculture programme, a- 100- kilometre square state fish pond, which had been abandoned years ago at Okrakwadwo would be revived for fish farming.

Mr. Opare Addo on his part assured the youth that all the necessary support would be given them and urged them to embrace the programme. He said the government was serious about creating jobs for the youth hence the programme to complement the formal sector and especially, to make agriculture attractive to the youth and also for food security. Mr. Opare Addo disclosed that the Regional Minister, Mr Samuel Ofosu-Ampofo, was in the process of finding permanent and reliable markets and strategies for the sale of the produce. 12 Nov. 09