Editorial
Congrats farmers, continue to work hard to feed our dear nation!
This year’s National Farmers’ Day is to be celebrated in Cape Coast, the Central Regional capital, to honour farmers who have been working hard over the years to ensure adequate output of food and raw materials for the country. Even though farming comes in various forms and is considered vital in economic development, the youth of today find it unattractive because it is perceived as too difficult and challenging. It is important to note, however, that people who have embraced farming over the years have been able to create wealth for themselves and the country as a whole. Apart from being able to produce food for the people of this country, they are able to sell their produce to earn some income. Farming may be in form of cultivation of crops, fishing and aquaculture, cultivation of crops for
export, as well as agro processing. The theme for this year’s National Farmers’ Day is: “Planting for Food and Jobs – Consolidating Food Systems in Ghana.” The theme is very important for a number of reasons. In the first place, Planting for Food and Jobs as a programme has helped this country tremendously. The country is able to feed itself and even export some of its foodstuffs to neighbouring countries. It is, therefore, necessary to continue and strengthen this programme so that adequate food supply will be
available for the country. Secondly, output in the agricultural sector should not remain in the raw form but processed further to let the output stay for a longer time. This way, other young people can take advantage to process it and add value to it. Here, the value chain can consist of a series of opportunities that can be exploited by people to create more jobs for the youth. One such opportunity is the establishment of storage facilities for the produce in the agricultural sector. Another one will be the provision
of transportation systems to help in conveying of the produce from place to place. It is important to ensure that every effort is made by the government to encourage all those who want to engage in serious farming. This is the only way to encourage the young ones to go into it. Apart from crop farming, we must also show interest in aquaculture so that different kinds of fish can be produced to feed us with balanced diets and make us healthy. As farmers are being encouraged through the various awards presented to them over the years, Ghanaians must see farming as an option that can serve as a means of livelihood to compete with white collar jobs. The Spectator congratulates farmers throughout the country and urge them to continue to work hard to feed our dear nation.
Dear Editor,
I wish to use this esteemed platform to urge the traditional councils of Osu and La to call for independent investigation into the recent demolition exercise at Kaajaano.
The exercise rendered hundreds homeless.
Information about the reason for the demolition has been scanty with those desiring to know feeding heavily on social media posts.
One particular name –Jato, has been associated with it but under whose instruction the exercise was carried is also not known.
Sadly, instead of getting to know who ordered the demolition and for what reasons, traditional authorities of Osu and La have been embroiled in a tug-of-war over ownership of the said land.
This is premature. At this moment, they should call for investigation into the exercise to know the people behind it.
When that is done, then discussions about the owners of the site can begin. That would end the posture of the two neighbouring town which has the potential to turn into something else.
Ataa Osa Mensah,
Osu
Dear Editor,
I wish to use your respected platform to draw the attention of the Bank of Ghana (BoG) to the behaviour of traders and some drivers about the use of lower denomination coins, specifically the 20 and 10 pesewas.
About two weeks ago, I read in your sister newspaper, The Ghanaian Times about this problem and the caution that followed from the BoG and some economic analysts.
The warning they gave was that the continuous rejection of the notes could create pricing problems which can eventually affect inflation.
I thought that would put to bed that practice or refusal to accept the coins when given out as change or use to pay for particular service.
Unfortunately, the problem still persist among traders, drivers, customers and passengers alike. Only last week, there was as altercation in the Accra Central area where a woman refused to accept five 20 pesewas note totaling one cedi.
As the argument continued, the trader decided not to sell to the customer again after by-standers explained to her that it was still a legal tender and those that refused it could become offenders.
This is an issue the BoG and other regulatory agencies must go and explain to the people and let them know that it is unlawful not to accept a currency that is still in use.
It nothing was done, it could create a much more serious problems.
Mary Osei Badu,
Swedru
