Rice farmers call for restoration of subsidies

Gomoa-Okyereko (C/R), July 17, GNA- Officers of the Okyereko Irrigation Project in the Central Region have suggested to the government to consider subsidising power supply to irrigation projects to ensure sustainability.

They said the policy under which the Irrigation Authority of Ghana (IAG) is compelled to pay commercial rates for electricity it uses to run their projects ''will kill the system''.

The officers said the authority was finding it difficult to pay its electricity tariffs.

Mr A.N. Ntim, Coordinator, and Mr E.A. Gyadu, Scheme Manager both of the Okyereko Project, made the suggestion at an emergency meeting with leaders of the Okyereko Rice Farmers' Cooperative Society on Wednesday. The meeting, which was initiated by chairman of the society, Nana Ababio II, Okyerekohene, discussed efforts being made by the people in the town to get the community and the irrigation project hooked to the national electricity grid.

Mr Ntim said the annual financial returns of members of the society was ''nothing to talk about'' after the various deductions that include power and fuel cost.

''The best and the most acceptable means of solving the problem is for the government to review agricultural subsidies and come out with a policy that will give a lasting relief to the farmers''.