The General Agricultural Workers’ Union (GAWU) has tasked government to provide long-term policies to increase the agric sector’s contribution to economic growth.
GAWU believes measures pursued by successive governments have been short term ones hence their minimal impact in achieving the intended results.
GAWU’s comments follows the launching of the government’s ‘Planting for Food and Jobs’ programme at Goaso in the Brong Ahafo region.
The policy which is a key plan for the agric ministry, is aimed at creating over 750,000 jobs.
But speaking on the Citi Breakfast Show on Wednesday, the General Secretary of GAWU, Edward Kareweh said government must develop long-term plans if the agric sector is to be enhanced.
“Certainly it takes more than what we are just seeing; these measures being undertaken by government are not permanent ones and they are not going to take us far,” he said.
He went further to stress the need to establish long-term measures to solve the critical issues facing agriculture once and for all.
“We need to have the long-term measures. Where are we? We are still at a point where we cannot feed ourselves. Do we want to see ourselves the same way the next ten years? We have to change our modus operandi, we wanted to change our development paradigm and we have to come out with alternatives to what we know, the traditional approach which we have applied over the years has not helped us,” he lamented.
Meanwhile, the Poultry Farmers’ Association also wants government to employ more extension officers as well as provide the necessary tools and logistics to augment agric production in Ghana.
A member of the Association, Joseph Becquin called on government to facilitate fast ways to revamp agriculture in the country.
“When it comes to the logistics it’s a very sad issue. You need fuel to visit farms and yet there is no fuel. At the end of the month you have to send a report to your directorate about the work done and then they expect you to write a report on your activities while they have not given you fuel for the motorbike. Sometimes it takes about six to seven months before you get logistics for your motorbikes. They are very much aware of our problems and must act quickly,” he stated.
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(Via: CitiFM Online Ghana)
