Nana Deboarah Amanor Suhum, the Municipal Chief Farmer, has attributed stealing of agro chemicals and other gadgets meant for mass spraying to lack of motivation and low remuneration of the sprayers.

He said if the stealing was not checked it would undermine the whole exercise. Nana Amanor said this at a meeting with society chief farmers within the Municipality at Suhum on Monday.

He appealed to the government to involve society chief farmers in the mass spraying exercise, adding “They should be made to play the supervising role to ensure effectiveness and efficiency.”

Nana Amanor said the constant breakdown of spraying machines was due to improper care and handling and suggested that the machines should be kept in the custody of society chief farmers.

Mr George Adamptey, a retired Technical Assistant of Cocoa Swollen Shoot Virus Diseases Division of COCOBOD, appealed to the chief farmers to continue to advice farmers.