A section of Peasant farmers and input dealers at the forum
The Peasant Farmers Association of Ghana, has inaugurated its “Border Watch-Dog Committee” at Paga in the Kassena-Nankana West in the Upper East Region, to help curb the smuggling of subsidized fertilizers from Ghana to neighbouring countries.
The “Border Watch-Dog Committees” will be replicated across all border towns in the country.
The Deputy Upper East Regional Minister, Frank Adongo Fuseini at the inauguration, called on residents living in and around border towns to help fight against the menace by reporting to the law enforcing agencies that operate around the borders or raise alarm.
Prior to the inauguration of the “Border Watch-Dog Committee”, the Peasant Farmers Association of Ghana in partnership with Alliance for Green Revolution in Africa had organized a sensitization forum in Bolgatanga for farmers and other stakeholders drawn across the Upper East Region.
The sensitization forum was part of measures towards educating the participants on how to monitor and identify the modus operandi of smugglers in getting the subsidized fertilizers out of Ghana.
Smuggling of subsidized fertilizers from Ghana to neighbouring countries has been one of the challenges facing the agriculture sector, especially since the introduction of the National Fertilizer Subsidy Programme in 2008.
For many stakeholders in the agriculture sector, the introduction of the National Fertilizer Subsidy Programme is high on the list of key agricultural interventions ever introduced and implemented by the government through the Food and Agriculture Ministry, with the sole intention of enhancing food production in the country.
Many actors in the agriculture sector are of the view that the programme has contributed immensely to food production in the country and therefore has to be protected by government and beneficiaries.
Addressing the forum for the Peasant Farmers and other stakeholders, National Coordinator of Peasant Farmers Association of Ghana, Victoria Adongo said, the National Fertilizer Subsidy Programme stands to support mainly small holder farmers and called on them, especially those living within and close to border communities to be vigilant and not allow anybody to smuggle the subsidized fertilizers out, for their selfish interests.
A Manager at the Northern Sector Department of Agriculture, in charge of Fertilizer, Festus Aaron announced that, the Ministry of Food and Agriculture, has already launched this year’s Fertilizer Subsidy Programme, adding that, appropriate measures have been put in place to tackle most of the problems associated with the programme.
This year, 11 companies have been listed to take part in the Fertilizer Subsidy Programme. Under the programme this year, NPK is going for GH¢57.50 and Urea is going for GH¢47.50, across all districts in the country.
From: Ebo Bruce-Quansah, Bolgatanga