ASHANTI RICE GROWERS CALL FOR RELEASE OF POWER TILLERS (BACK PAGE)

THE Rice Growers Association in the Ashanti Region has appealed to the Ministry of Food and Agriculture (MoFA) to make power tillers more accessible to its membership to enable them to maximise production.
An executive member of the association, Mr Clement Alosebuno Kaba, who made the appeal, said the sector ministry had imported a large number of power tillers into the country, but had kept them in Accra, instead of taking measures to make them available to all rice growers across the country.
Mr Kaba made the appeal at a seminar in Kumasi, which coincided with the election of a seven-member executive to steer the affairs of the association.
The executive was elected unopposed.
Nana Appiah Kubi, from Nnobewan in the Ejisu-Juaben District was elected Chairman, with Mr Kwaku Kyei, from Attia, also in the Ejisu-Juaben District as his vice.
The position of second vice-chairman went to Mrs Cecilia Anaba, from Ntensere in the Atwima Nwabiagya District, with Mr Kingsley Sarkodie, from Besease in the Ejisu-Juaben District, being elected as the secretary.
Mr Adu Tawia from Adugyama in the Ahafo Ano District was elected the Assistant Secretary, while the position of Trustee and Second Trustee went to Mr Wilson Gamor, from New Koforidua in the Ejisu-Juaben District and Mrs Asibi Apoegi respectively.
Mr Kaba congratulated the executive members and urged them to collaborate with their colleagues from the other regions on the need to negotiate with the MoFA to make power tillers more accessible to rice farmers.
He said it was equally important for district assemblies throughout the country to support rice farmers in the production of rice by linking up with the MoFA on how power tillers could be bought or credited to members of the association to encourage them to work harder to increase production.
Mr Kaba said with the active support of the MoFA and the district assemblies, rice farmers could also take advantage of the global demand for rice and produce in large quantities to meet consumers' demand both locally and internationally.
In his inaugural address, the newly elected Chairman, Nana Appiah Kubi, commended members of the association for electing the executive, and assured the gathering that they would not abuse the confidence reposed in them.
He also assured them that the executive would play an advocacy role as a way of straightening all the rough edges militating against production of rice in large quantities in the country.