NDC Accused of Sabotage

The Deputy Brong Ahafo Regional Minister, Mr. Yaw Adjei Duffour, has accused the NDC of sabotaging the government's National Forest Plantation Programme launched by President Kufuor at Ayigbe in the Brong Ahafo Region last year.

Mr. Duffour disclosed that some leaders of the country's largest opposition party (NDC) peddle false information in the areas embarking on the afforestation programme to the effect that the government cannot pay them if they continue to plant the trees.

Reacting to this at the farmers' field day demonstration organized by Technoseve, in collaboration with Crop Research Institute (CRI) and the Ministry of Food and Agriculture (MOFA) at Tanoso, near Techiman, Mr. Duffour decried the negative behaviour of the party, saying, "We have enough money to pay you."

The Deputy Minister continued that the government had released enough money for the project.

He told the farmers engaged in the afforestation programme that henceforth they could decide to take their monies either weekly, bi-weekly or monthly.

The Deputy Minister suggested that the farmers insist on taking their wages weekly or bi-weekly, instead of monthly.

To get himself out of the net, the Deputy Minister apologized to the farmers, chiefs, officials from MOFA, CRI and Technoseve, who had been kept waiting.

He attributed his late arrival to an engagement at the office, saying he was not the original official to address the farmers, but only stepped in for his superior, Mr. Ernest Akuboa Debrah, the substantive Regional Minister, whom he said had travelled to the Northern Region.

Of late, the minister and his deputy have been coming to functions late.

On the new, high-yielding quality protein maize (mamaba), which Technoseve, CRI and MOFA are introducing to farmers at Tanoso, Mr. Duffour said the demonstration is in line with government policy in the field of agriculture to transform agriculture as a high production venture, using high-yielding planting materials like mamaba.

Mr. Duffour who arrived at the programme three hours late, emphasized Vice President's crusade against indiscipline.

According to Mr. Duffour, late arrival to work and functions by public officials are all part of indiscipline that Alhaji Aliu Mahama has espoused.

Mr. Duffour said NPP government is focusing on making agriculture profitable to farmers to ensure sustainable economic activities as a major instrument against poverty.

The Deputy Country Director of Technoseve, Mr. Anthony K. Cobbah, disclosed that Technoseve opened its office in the Techiman District in 1992, with the sole aim of assisting maize farmers in what he described as "maize triangle," to help address perennial storage and marketing problems.

Mr. Cobbah said Technoseve in Brong Ahafo, through its time-tested intervention has enhanced farmers' incomes and food security in the region.

The Deputy Country Director emphasized that his outfit is determined to propel the farmers to join the global competition by pointing to them options that will make this possible.

He said the newly developed improved maize "mamaba" has a high yield potential of twenty bags per acre while the local variety has low yield potential of five bags per acre.