The vice president John Dramani Mahama has
reiterated the government’s commitment to revamping agriculture in the northern
sector to offer not only job opportunities to the unemployed youth but also help
improve on the socio-economic conditions of the people.
Northern Sector which includes, Upper East, West, Northern
and part of Brong Ahafo region is said to be poverty stricken area and lacks
basic infrastructure such as good roads, quality education, clean drinking
water among other things that could support the development of people
socio-economic conditions.
The government, he said was opening northern sector
to investment through the Savannah Accelerated Authority (SADA), the government programme established to bridged the development gap between the
north and south.
The Vice president reiterated this when he handed
over 100 farm tractors and implements to farmers in northern sector to support
this year’s farming activities.
The tractors which were imported by the Savannah Accelerated
Development Authority and aimed to help realize northern sector agriculture
development dream set by the government would benefit about 16, 000 farmers
within the SADA operational zone.
The Vice President said the government was doing all
that it could to ensure the revamp of northern agriculture which he described
as the backbone of Ghana;s economy.
“The development of agriculture in northern sector is still the
most important dream of the government. This tractors we are handing over today
is to support the government’s initiatives aimed at improving sustainable
agriculture that will ensure food security in the country”, the Vice president
said.
He was optimistic that the government’s initiatives
including the activities of SADA would turn northern Ghana into an investment
destination to deal with poverty, unemployment and youth migration situation in
the area. He however, advised farmers to handle the tractors well and adopt
regular maintenance culture to ensure high efficiency and effectiveness of the
tractors.
The Vice president assured Ghanaians the government
support to improving socio-economic well-being of the citizenry. He appealed to
Ghanaians to co-exist peaceful and support the government to create enabling
environment to ensure development and progress of the entire country.
The Board Chairman of the Savannah Accelerated
Development Authority, (SADA) Mr. Alhassan Andani said the tractor distribution
is the third largest initiative by SADA aimed to propel agriculture sector in
its operational area.
He said that SADA was developing agriculture after
it was identified as leading driving force for the country’s economy and that
when the sector is well developed, it would not only solved the food insecurity
problems facing the country but help would create jobs, and reduce youth
migration from the north to south in search for non-existing jobs.
The programme brought together farmers, Ministers of
State, MMDCEs, and other stakeholders to witness the handing over ceremony held
at the premises of Ghana Cotton Company in Tamale.
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