Chiefs urged to encourage farming

The Municipal Chief Executive (MCE) of Upper Denkyira East , Mrs Emelia Ankomah, has urged chiefs  in the area to not give out arable land that could be used for farming activities to illegal small-scale miners who would only end up degrading the environment.

The MCE advised those who were  willing to go into small-scale mining to acquire licences from the Minerals Commission and also abide by the rules and regulations of the commission.

She was speaking at  this year’s municipal Farmers Day celebration of the district held at Denkyira Adwumam. 

Twenty-one farmers were honoured in various categories with Mr Kweku Nyame, a 40-year-old farmer from Denkyira Asikuma, being adjudged the overall best municipal farmer for 2014. He received a motorbike, a sewing machine, one knapsack sprayer,and other items.

The MCE congratulated the  farmers in the area on their contribution towards the nation’s development by ensuring food security. 

She said the government would always address the basic needs of farmers by ensuring that farming inputs such as fertilisers, tractors got to them at affordable prices to enable them to increase their output. 

Mrs Ankomah was full of praise for cocoa farmers in the area because cocoa production did not suffer any setback in spite of the manner in which the distribution of fertiliser to farmers and the free spraying of cocoa was carried out in some communities.