Former National Democratic Congress (NDC) Member of Parliament (MP) for Ejura Sekyere-Dumase Constituency in the Ashanti Region, Alhaji Mohammed Issifu Pangadu, says he was bastardised for telling the positive impact of the Planting for Food and Jobs (PFJ).
This is because people did not understand why a former NDC MP could make public statements to praise the positive impact of an opposing party’s policies.
“When I was in Parliament, though both NDC and New Patriotic Party (NPP) or majority and minority disagree on many issues when it comes to issues of national development, we build consensus in the interest of Ghana.
“Why should you have a problem with a testimony from a former NDC MP who is benefiting from NPP’s good intervention?” he quizzed.
He said the problem of Ghana is dishonesty and hypocrisy, stating that but for the government’s support through the PFJ, life would have been difficult for him after Parliament.
Speaking at the commissioning of a 100, 000 capacity fertiliser and improved seed warehouse constructed by a private Agro Chemicals dealer RansBoat Company Ltd, Mr Pandagu called on Ghanaians to eschew partisan politics and support initiatives that alleviate the plight of people.
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“Both NDC and NPP are beneficiaries of subsidised fertilisers and improved seeds. It has improved the yields of farmers and I have benefited tremendously, I’m a Muslim so if I stand anywhere and give false testimony about it, Allah will punish me,” he said.
He urged Ghanaians to take advantage of the intervention and enter into Agriculture.
General Manager of RansBoat Company Ltd, dealers in agro-chemicals and poultry farms, Teddy Adei, said their supply chain has bridged the non-access of farm inputs in the rural areas which impeded high productivity.
According to him, RansBoat constructed the 100, 000 capacity warehouse to stock inputs in excess and avoid the acute shortage of farm inputs that bedeviled farming in rural Ghana.
The fertiliser warehouse, which is the biggest private warehouse so far, aims to ensure continued supply of farm inputs to farmers.
RansBoat Company Ltd called on the government to increase its supply allocation under PFJ since they have the capacity to supply the whole country on time.
Currently, the supply of farm inputs under the Planting for Food and Jobs has been allocated to private agrochemicals dealers.
Many farmers still complain of acute shortage and dealer in the supply of inputs but RansBoat says it has the capacity to supply almost the entire country on time if the government would increase its allocation.
Mr Adei added that RansBoat currently has 64, 000 layers and intends to start 100, 000 broilers by next year.
RansBoat wants to produce 120, 000 Metric tones of processed poultry annually to reduce the importation of poultry into Ghana.
Mr Adei wants the government to reduce taxes on the importation of battery cage equipment to enable local poultry farmers mechanise to augment Government’s Rearing for Food and Jobs.
Eastern Regional Minister, Eric Kwakye Darfour, commended RansBoat for its dedication in the Agric sector.
He said the 100, 000 capacity fertiliser warehouse would help ensure constant supply of inputs to farmers and promote the government’s aim of making farm inputs available and accessible to all.
He, however, expressed worry over the continuous activities of illegal miners and sand winners in the Eastern Region which possess threat to the success of the Planting for Food and Jobs.
He said this illegal miners enter into farms at night and cause devastation to farms.
He said most of such gangs are armed to the teeth.
According to Mr Darfour, the Regional Security Council is working to nip such activities that inhibit the progress of PFJ in the bud.