ABUAKWA NORTH MUNICIPAL ASSEMBLY’S DEPARTMENT OF AGRIC PRESENTS OIL PALM SEEDLINGS TO THE YOUTH AND FARMERS WITHIN THE MUNICIPALITY
As part of government’s effort to curb the menace of illegal small scale mining widely known as ‘galamsey’ and also in line with government’s flagship programme, Planting for Export and Rural Development (PED). The Agric. Department of the Assembly received Eighteen Thousand Oil Palm seedlings (18,000) in consultation with the Minerals Commission of Ghana and the Oil Palm Research Institute, Ghana.
The Municipal Chief Executive, Alhaji Umar Babs Bodinga on Monday, the 14th of May, 2023 presented the oil palm seedlings on behalf of the Agric. Directorate to farmers within the Municipality.
The purpose of this initiative according to the Director of Agric, Mr. Anthony Narh Nartey, is to stop the youth from engaging in illegal mining, get themselves busy with oil palm farming and production (palm oil, palm kennel and fibre as fuel for domestic use) amongst others in order to alleviate poverty. He also indicated that the initiative will prevent farmers from selling their lands as concessions to illegal small scale miners for money, destroying farmlands, polluting waterbodies, ill-health, child labour and subsequent drop out of school.
Hon. Municipal Chief Executive in his submission mentioned that Ettukrom and Ficher areas are springing up with the activities of illegal miners and with this initiative he believed an avenue of employment had been created in the communities as well as a stop to the pollution of waterbodies and improve enrollment in schools.
Some of the farmers offloading the oil palm seedlings
A section of Farmers with the oil palm seedlings
Municipal Chief Executive presenting an oil palm seedling to a farmer
Municipal Chief Executive addressing the farmers
Municipal Chief Executive and Municipal Chief Executive with some of the farmers