News
250 tractors, implements procured for smallholder farmers to boost agric production
Government in collaboration with Knight Transfer of Technology, a Czech-based technological entity, has procured 250 modernised mini tractors and implements for small and medium-scale farmers in the country.
This forms part of efforts in achieving the goals for the Planting for Food and Jobs (PFJs) programme.
The implements comprised hand-held machines, mini tractors, double-sided ploughs, trailers, mulchers, boom sprayers, mist blowers, threshers, rotovetess, corn crushers and rice rippers.
The equipment would, among other things, enable the farmers to do land preparation, planting and harvesting.
They were procured through a public-private partnership at a cost of €10 million, an interest-free loan facility from the Czech Republic Export Bank.
Director of Agricultural Engineering Services Directorate (AESD) of the Ministry of Food and Agriculture Mr Amatus Deyand said the implements would boost agriculture in the country as it would augment activities of smallholder farmers.
“The set of agriculture implement have been subsidised as government has taken 40 per cent of the original cost of the machines which ranges between GH₵18,000 and GH₵ 125,000 ,” he said.
According to Mr Deyand, the Ministry of Food and Agriculture was poised to help small and medium-scale farmers have access to suitable and modernised machines to increase production.
“The vision of the Ministry is to equip, especially small and medium-scale farmers, with appropriate mechanisation options to ease the laborious work associated with farming operations and to ultimately enhance productivity,” he said.
Chief Executive Officer of the Knight Transfer of Technology, Dr Karl Laryea said the procurement of the implement was the company’s contribution to realising of the PFJs programme by helping farmers move from the traditional farming to a mechanized system.
In order to develop implements to suit the agriculture conditions in Ghana, Dr Laryea noted that some Ghanaians were sent to Czech for training.
These individuals, according to Dr Laryea, “can now assemble, operate and service both the Cabrio Compact and Global Multipurpose Mini Tractors.”
The equipment was showcased at the Awutu Camp Prison in the Central Region last Friday.
Speaking at the event, the District Director of Agriculture for Awutu Senya East, Mr A. K. B. Beyang urged small and medium-scale farmers to harness resources to buy and use the equipment to boost agricultural production.
Source: Ghanaian Times
News
GFP founder Akua Donkor passes on
Akua Donkor
The founder and leader of the Ghana Freedom Party (GFP), Madam Akua Donkor, has passed away.
She died at the Greater Accra Regional Hospital on Monday, October 28 at 72.
Reports gathered by The Spectator indicated that she was diagnosed with respiratory issues at the Nsawam Government Hospital and was referred to the Greater Accra Regional Hospital where she died.
Known for her spirited presence in Ghanaian politics, Akua Donkor was a staunch advocate for the rights of farmers and women.
Her bold and outspoken demeanour enabled her to capture public attention and significantly impact the grassroots communities she aimed to represent.
Throughout her political journey, she distinguished herself by running for the presidency multiple ti mes, demonstrating remarkable resilience despite financial challenges.
Akua Donkor was listed as the third candidate on the ballot for the upcoming 2024 presidential election.
Her political career began with her election as the Assemblywoman for Herman in the Ashanti region, and she made her first bid for the presidency in 2012 as an independent candidate.
She was, however, disqualified by the Electoral Commission in 2012 and 2016 for the reason that she did not meet the eligibility requirements.
News
Stop using breast enhancing creams …they expose females to breast cancer
Mrs Enyonam Abiti making a presentation
Women have been cautioned to stop using of breast enhancing creams which is said to contain estrogen, predisposing them to the breast cancer disease.
Using such creams over time increases estrogen levels in patrons of such products thereby exposing them to the disease.
Estrogen is a type of sex hormone responsible for development and regulation of female reproductive system and secondary sex chart.
Mrs Enyonam Abiti, a medical officer at Madina Pentecost Hospital, said this at a day’s seminar and breast cancer awareness creation day at Sunyani in the Bono Region.
The programme, organised by the Bono Regional office of COCOBOD, forms part of activities to mark this year’s World Breast Cancer Day celebrations held every year in October.
Some staff of COCOBOD and women in cocoa farming used the opportunity to have their breast screened.
Mrs Abiti during a presentation revealed that one in every eight women was diagnosed of breast cancer while 1 from 1,000 men contract the disease.
She noted that early detection and regular screening was the surest way to salvage the situation.
She mentioned that habits such as excessive smoking and alcohol intake predisposes women to breast cancer.
Moreover, she added that people advanced in age, past history, past ovarian cancer case as well as young girls that menstruate early, among others stands the risk of contracting the disease.
The Bono Regional Administrator of COCOBOD, Michael Paddy Kwesi Asumanu, stated that the decision to organise the breast screening was to ensure that women in cocoa farming were healthy at all times to go about their farming activities in order to increase productivity.
“We don’t want a situation where our women in cocoa farming are infected with breast cancer disease to jeopardise the cocoa sector,” he said.
According him, the Regional Office of COCOBOD in partnership with the Bono Regional Teaching hospital would organised screening for about 4,000 women on October 31, 2024 at Goaso in the Ahafo Region.
The move, he said, was part of their corporate social responsibility towards women as the world mark breast cancer awareness creation this month.
Some of the women who spoke to The Spectator commended COCOBOD for the gesture and called on other institutions of state to emulate the example.
The organisers later held a float on the principal streets of Sunyani to create awareness on the breast cancer disease.
From Daniel Dzirasah, Sunyani