Student designs incubator

Onyamebekyere-Akuapem (Eastern Region), 8 Dec.'98 - A first year student of the Presbyterian Training College (PTC) at Akropong-Akuapem, Master Abednego Sackitey, has designed an incubator using mainly local materials. The incubator, costing 400,000 cedis and capable of hatching 1,500 eggs, can be operated on electricity, car battery or charcoal. The equipment which was designed under the direction of Mr Andrews Baa-Kwako and Mr Cephas Bodakpi, agricultural science tutors of the college, was among the items exhibited at the Akuapem North District's farmers day celebrations at Onyamebekyere, near Adukrom-Akuapem. 14 farmers including the MP for Okere, Mr Fuzzy Torbay and two educational institutions were honoured. The best farmer award went to Mr Jones Adu Agyei of Adukrom. PTC won the "most scientific farmer" award, Okuapeman Secondary School, the Most consistent school farmer" with Mr Torbay taking the "most promising farmer" award. The District Chief Executive, Mr Anthony Gyampoh, announced that the district assembly has instituted a special credit facility to encourage the youth to go into farming under the district rural infrastructure and poverty alleviation fund. He said the district is to benefit from a Danish Development Agency water supply project for the Eastern region. The Deputy Minister for Works and Housing, Mr Alex Akuffo, who donated some prizes said government would soon come out with a comprehensive programme to promote the accelerated development of the country as part of its "gateway project". Mr Torbay said the national farmers day celebration and the provision of development projects in the rural areas are part of the government's desire to encourage farmers to produce more to support the economy.