CHRAJ urges govt to introduce subsidies

Accra, Dec. 7, GNA - The Commission on Human Rights and Administrative Justice on Friday urged government to promote food security by removing all bottlenecks on farming and introduce subsidies where appropriate.

In a statement to mark farmers' day, the Commission said it was important that government come to the aid of rural food crop farmers, especially women through targeted credit facilities to ensure that they continue to produce the bulk of food for the country.

In addition, critical attention should be paid to food processing and preservation to provide a strong basis for the country's food security.

"Targeting women food crop farmers in three northern regions will decrease poverty substantially. Subsidies in the form of seeds and agricultural extension services are highly recommended for Ghanaian food crop farmers, especially women in the three northern regions who also urgently require micro-financing to succeed in the industry."

The statement signed by Comfort Edu, Public Relations Officer of the Commission said the right to life, which is most important of all provisions on human rights would be meaningless if they did not presuppose people's right to food that sustains life.

The Commission said it was disheartening to note that even though governments all over the world have, on several occasions reaffirmed the right to food through resolutions at World Conferences, hunger and malnutrition continue to be widespread, particularly in developing countries, including Ghana

"The right to food operates directly or indirectly as a prerequisite to all other human rights recognized in treaties; to go without food is to deny or damage all individual rights. One cannot survive to exercise fully the civil, political, economic, social and cultural rights that everyone must have," the statement added.