Regional News of Friday, 27 July 2012

Source: GNA

WFP donate cars to the Ministry of Food and Agriculture and Food and Drugs Board

The World Food Programme (WFP) on Thursday presented two cars to the Ministry of Agriculture and the Food and Drugs (FDB) Board to support the various projects undertaken by both bodies, in Accra.

Presenting the cars, Mrs Vera Boohene, WFP-Ghana, said the donation was to help coordinate activities of all stakeholders and partners, to ensure the effective implementation of the ‘Resilience to climate shocks and support for livelihood Project’ under taken by the Ministry.

She said the project which include the ‘Food for Assets project’ is aimed at rebuilding community assets targeted towards promoting climate change adaptation, the renovation of small dams and dugouts, afforestation projects and some sustainable income generating projects.

Mrs Boohene said the car would also help the FDB to effectively monitor salt iodization and as such contribute towards the attainment of Universal Salt Iodization in Ghana.

Mr. Alfred Sugri-Tia, Deputy Minister in charge of livestock, receiving the car on behalf of the Ministry expressed his appreciation to the WFP for the support in its efforts to make Ghana a food secured nation.

He said the Ministry had also put in various measures to ensure that the country reaches the target of a food secured nation, and hoped that in the future the WFP would support other programs of the Ministry and help it achieve all its set goals.

Mr. Kofi Essel, Head of Food Inspectorate Department, FDB, thanked the WFP for the support saying the time had come for various stakeholders to support and promote the salt iodization project.

He said there was a decline in household consumption of iodated salt and the program was geared towards ensuring that in some years to come every household in the country would be using iodated salt.

Mr. Essel assured the WFP that the vehicle would be to proper use in order to last the test of time and help the up and coming generation to achieve the set future goals.**