Editorial
Kudos to all physically challenged farmers’ awardees
Last week Friday, Ghana held its annual Farmers’ Day celebration when farmers and fishers across the country were awarded for their contributions in farming, fishing and local food production.
Nana Owusu Achiaw from the Sekyere Central District of the Ashanti Region was crowned the overall National Best Farmer for the year and received an amount of GH¢1million sponsored by the Agricultural Development Bank (ADB).
Among the awardees were some physically challenged who through their resilience and commitment had also contributed immensely to farming, despite their physical handicap to advance food security.
Notable among these awardees is Mr John Nii Arday Ofoliquaye, a 49-year-old aquaculturist from Mamprobi in the Greater Accra Region (GAR), who was awarded the Best Physically Challenged Farmer by the Accra Metropolitan Assembly (AMA).
Also, Mr. Stephen Addo from the Sene West District in the Bono East Region was adjudged the National Best Physically Challenged Farmer for 2024 at the awards dinner held at the Alisa Hotel in Accra last Friday.
In the Kasena Nankana West District in the Upper East Region, Chiravero Addah James, a physically challenged farmer, was recognised as the Best Disability Farmer of the Year for his dedication to mixed cropping.
Similarly, 16 physically challenged best farmers from the regions were also honoured and awarded with certificates at the dinner night.
They received various awards of essential farming tools and supplies during the 40th National Farmers’ Day celebration, held on Friday, November 8, 2024.
What is most intriguing is that they did not use their physical challenges as an excuse to beg for alms but engaged in a profitable venture such as farming to make a living for themselves, their families, communities and the nation as a whole.
They had proven that physical limitations need not hinder success thus their condition did not impede their dreams and vision.
Their success should be a shining example to other physically challenged individuals to disregard societal stigmatisation and have confidence in their abilities. Their example should spur the abled to work harder to achieve laurels in their various fields.
To the physically challenged who resort to begging on the streets this should be a clarion call for them to reconsider their decision to be permanent beggars begging amidst vehicular traffic which poses great danger to their lives.
Instead they should rather find something lucrative to do for as the saying goes disability is not inability.