You must be desperate to retire failed Akuffo-Addo & NPP gov't - Julian Cobinnah to Ghanaian youth

You must be desperate to retire failed Akuffo-Addo & NPP gov't - Julian Cobinnah to Ghanaian youth

An activist of the opposition National Democratic Congress (NDC),Julian Yaw M. Cobbinah,has called on the youth of Ghana to rally their collective energies in voting out the failed Akuffo-Addo and NPP government come 2024.

This he said was the only way the young people of this country can demonstrate their increasing frustration and lost of faith in the current New Patriotic Party administration.

In response to calls from the youth of the NDC for him to consider running for the position of Deputy National Youth Organizer position of the party,he said the NDC must be desperate in putting young people at the centre of the move out of the brokenness of our country.

"The argument is that we need to change this country. I have heard and listened to soo many painful stories of young people who are desperate and want our country to work. I have listened to young people's growing hopes that the NDC should carry the coalition of young people behind It into 2024 without fail. 

"As a person continuously in the trenches with young people knowing how they are increasingly losing faith in our great nation, how opportunities are being shut in their faces and the depression they have to keep at I  know we cannot gamble with the future of young people.

We must stand UP ! We must save the sinking nature of our Republic. Our democracy must mean something,  being Ghanaian must mean something and being a young person in the NDC must mean something more than party identities.

"We should be desperate to retire the Presidency of H.E Akufo-Addo and build a selfless NDC government based purely on the values that young people in Bogoso have demonstrated a couple of days ago - to draw out our very life to save the country and to save this generation of youth from inheriting a tasteless, mean, insensitive and bleak Republic that is all the worst except the fine language and insatiable greed of people entrapped by political power.

Your calls have been overwhelming and the language is clear.I have listened to You and  You have to listen to me too," he wrote.

The youth activist said he will in the coming days firm his decision to either contest or otherwise for the position of the National Youth Organizer of the party in response to the many calls from party youth, encouraging the youth of the party to keep hopes alive and remain united towards the social change agenda.

"One thing is clear ; whether at the final whistle, I decide to run for the Deputy National Youth Organizer of the NDC or NOT,  it is you the young people's agenda for social change on the wings of a renewed NDC that will count in the decision making process. 

For all the many calls, endorsements and words of support I have received from young people in the NPP, NDC, CPP, independents and etc who believe I can lead them into an NDC 2024 victory I say thank you,"the Akwatia/Elmina/Dzevetato boy said.

He simply described the current administration as a sophiscated corrupt one, stressing on the need to fight collectively to bring depressed young people of this great nation into the palace of a metaphoric fruitful nation that works for all.

Source: Ananpansah Bartholomew Abraham

Residents of Settlement unhappy with destruction of road

Residents of Settlement unhappy with destruction of road 

The residents of Settlement,suburb of Canteen in the West Gonja Municipal of the Savannah Region have expressed deep worry about the destruction of the road network leading to the community.

This they say was having a heavy toil on the community and putting the lives of motorists and pedestrians, especially women, farmers and the school going children at risk.

At a community durbur to review activities for last year 2021 and set community goals for the year 2022, the Assemblyman, Ananpansah Abraham said the extent of destruction of the road by tipper trucks and dozers used to convey gravel from the gravel pit in the area was disheartening.

He said he was brokenhearted to see the Canteen-to-Settlement road which hitherto was in very good shape and motorable, suddenly turn into a sandy and dusty path due to the gravel digging activities, which was posing economic and health risk to residents.

The situation he said, was likely to worsen during the raining season if something is not done urgently.

According to him,the community was currently not benefiting anything as a Corporate Social Responsibility from the activities of constructors and individuals who come to excavate gravel from the area, stressing that, "I daresy these people don't even pay revenue to the assembly for road maintenance and were acting in bad faith".

The Assemblyman said these constructors and individuals have failed in their several promises to reshape the road, after the several community complaints he laid to them and stakeholders on the need to maintain the very road they were plying with their heavy duty vehicles to harvest gravel from the area.

He appealed to the department of feeder roads and all the necessary stakeholders to come to the aid of the community, hinting that his office together with the community have resolved to present a letter to the Department of Feeder roads and all the concerned stakeholders reiterating the need to work on the road.

In the interim,he said there will be a community bye-law barring any individual or group of persons from excavating gravel from the area untill the road is reshaped.

He called on the community members to remain united in order to achieve the collective aspirations and wishes of the entire electoral area.

The community chief,Seidu Iddrisu appealed to government to intervene in reshaping the road wondering why those fetching gravel from area have turned death ears to the the several complaints of the community.

He said the community was unanimous in its decision to place a temporal ban on the fetching of gravel from the area until the road is reshaped, commending the Assemblyman for always responding promptly to the concerns of the community. 

Joseph Yidane,the community caretaker expressed fear for they the farmers ahead of the raining season with sudden state of the road.

He said the health and lives of the residents was at risk if nothing is done about the situation, stressing on the numerous times the community together with the Assemblyman have called on stakeholders and the individuals fetching gravel from the area to consider fixing the very road they had destroyed to no avail.

The women and youth present at the meeting  added their voice to the need to reshape the road, stating that in the event of an emergency it will be very difficult for an ambulance and other emergency Vans to get to the community.

They said they were contemplating a demonstration to register their displeasure over the destruction of the road network which use to be one of the best feeder road in the municipality if nothing is done about the situation.

Source: Ananpansah Bartholomew Abraham

123,328 people vaccinated against COVID-19 in Savannah Region - GHS

123,328 people vaccinated against COVID-19 in Savannah Region - GHS

A total of One Hundred and Twenty Three Thousand,Three Hundred and Twenty Eight(123,328) people have so far received vaccinated against the deadly Coronavirus pandemic in the Savannah Region.

This is according to the Ghana Health Service(GHS) in a media briefing held at Damongo,the Savannah regional capital to bring the general public up to speed with regards to the progress of work towards the fight against the deadly virus.

Doctor Chrystantus Kubio,the Savannah Regional Health Director, who made the disclosure said the current data was taken as at January 1,2022, adding that," Savannah Region is targeting to vaccinate 385,536 eligible population".

He indicated that based on several considerations, including safety, efficacy and potential effectiveness,the region had received a total of 155,780 doses of AstraZeneca,13,440 doses of Moderna,43,700 doses of Johnson and Johnson and 50,310 doses of Pfizer; bringing the total vaccines received to 263,230 doses.

"The country target to vaccinate 20 million people segmented by population groups and geography, excluding children and pregnant women. Savannah Region is targeting to vaccinate 385,536 eligible population. In the long run,the vision is to expand the vaccination to include children and pregnant women as time goes on and more safety data become available,"he said.

He lamented on the low patronage of the vaccines in the region as a result of the many conspiracy theories and false information circulating on social and print mediae,with some holding the conviction that the vaccines cannot simply protect them against the virus.

Borne out of the perceptions,a lot of people he noted were resisting the jab,even as we enter the fourth wave of the pandemic.

He called on the media to help address the public misconceptions and hesitancy to the COVID-9 vaccination in the region in order to reduce the risk of spread of the virus.

The benefits of the vaccination in his estimation far outweigh the perceived conspiracies, including a potential reduction in Coronavirus ill-health and deaths and reduced disruption of social and economic functions.

Source: Ananpansah,B Abraham

Strict regulatory enforcement and compliance of protocols could have averted Bogoso explosion - Minority

Strict regulatory enforcement and compliance of protocols could have averted Bogoso explosion - Minority

The Minority in the Parliament of Ghana are of the firm conviction that, the unfortunate explosion at Bogoso in the South-Western part of Ghana that claimed at least 17 lives could have been averted if there was strict regulatory enforcement and compliance of protocols.

The Ranking Member for Mines and Energy Committee and the National Democratic Congress legislator for Yapei/Kusawgu constituency,John Abdulai Jinapor in a press statement copied to this reporter indicated that there were strict laid down protocols to be followed in the transportation of such mining explosives in accordance with LI2177.

He called for an independent probe into the unfortunate incident,whilst impressing on government to as a matter of urgency support the affected victims.

Read the full statement below:

Press Release 

For Immediate Release 

21st January, 2022

MINORITY CALLS FOR AN INDEPENDENT ENQUIRY INTO THE BOGOSO EXPLOSION

The Minority in Parliament has received the tragic news of an explosion in Apiate, a town close to Bogoso in the Western Region in which several lives and properties were lost.

Credible reports confirm that a motorcycle run into a vehicle carrying explosives resulting in the carnage leading to loss of lives and destruction of properties. 

This incident is unacceptable because there are strict laid down protocols to be followed during transportation of such explosives in accordance with LI2177. 

It is our firm conviction that with strict regulatory enforcement and compliance of protocols, this unfortunate incident could have been averted. 

The Minority is therefore calling for an impartial enquiry into this heart-wrenching accident and unfortunate lost of at least seventeen lives and destruction of several properties. 

This enquiry among others will prevent the recurrence of such an incident in the future. 

We therefore call on the government to do all within its powers to support the affected people in order to ameliorate their lost.

The Minority wish to join well meaning Ghanaians to commiserate and share in the pain and anguish of all affected people.

Signed

John Abdulai Jinapor

Ranking Member, Mines and Energy Committee

Source: Ananpansah,B Abraham

We need attitudinal change in Ghana - lecturer and business dev't consultant

We need attitudinal change in Ghana - lecturer and business dev't consultant

A senior lecturer at the University for Development Studies and Business Development Consultant, Dr. Abdul Fatahi Kambala,has joined the bandwagon for attitudinal change among Ghanaians, especially the youth of society today.

Addressing a crop of young leaders at the first ever Startup Summit for young leaders in the Savannah Region held at Damongo,the good old doctor wondered why we were still where we are as a country, despite the many knowledgeable people we have such as scientist, researchers, medical doctors inter alia.

He said despite the enthusiasm of the youth, there was currently a gap in knowledge between the frustrations of society today and solutions available to address those frustrations,which can be blamed squarely on our attitude.

"Anytime I look around,I see frustrations and at the same time I see solutions...We cannot at the moment say we don't have knowledge. But there is a gap between the knowledge and the solutions.Why are we still where we despite the knowledge and enthusiasm of the youth?Why are we still where we are? Because of the attitude I keep talking about.

 "We have to do something to change our attitude here and now. We all have to come together to make that change. The world is changing on a daily basis. We should be agents of change,but not victims of this change that is happening.

We have moved from green revolution to industrial revolution. Now, information is what is bringing us the needed change and if we do not look for information and knowledge,we will be where we are. Progress is at the corner,"he stressed.

The headmistress of the Damongo Senior High School,madam Aluguba Mercy, who was recognized with a citation for her outstanding contribution towards women empowerment in the Savannah Region expressed joy that she was being appreciated for the change she effected in society thus far.

She said looking round, she sees many of her products through the Campaign for Female Education and School For Life doing marvelously well in various fields of endeavors in society to the glory of God.

The gender advocate was however, not happy with the inferiority complex,lack of self confidence and stage fright exibited by most young girls of today and launched a passionate appeal for change.

The Co-founder of iValley Ghana,Prince Nabil Mahama said his outfit intends to take technology and innovation to the doorsteps of the people of the Savannah Region.

He emphasized the need for young people to identify problems confronting their communities and devise solutions to address those challenges with the help of technology.

According to him,the goal is to reduce business failures in the Savannah Region and equip the youth with capacity building and entrepreneural skills towards reducing youth unemployment in the region and Ghana at large.

The summit he disclosed was in partnership with the GhanaTechLab after six weeks of intensive training in Mobile Application Development for 13 young people in the Savannah Region,adding that," we started this program with 23 people,10 dropped out because of numerous reasons leaving these 13".

The trainees after the six weeks were given the opportunity to identify problems within their communities and develop a mobile application to address the identified problems.

Four groups namely: Smart Farms,Gyeeda, Savannah tours and delivery hub came up with various solutions to challenges surrounding farming, culture, tourism and food delivery in the Savannah Region for pitching. 

At the end, Savannah tours was adjudged winners and selected alongside Gyeeda and delivery hub for the incubation stage of the competition. A seed capital of Ghc200.00 was given to each of the winning groups to assist register their businesses.

Some groups of investors expressed interest in partnering with Smart Farms in realizing their innovative idea of changing the face of farming in the Savannah Region using technology.

Source : Ananpansah, B Abraham

West Gonja MCE elected Savannah Regional representative of NALAG

West Gonja MCE elected Savannah Regional representative of NALAG

The Municipal Chief Executive for West Gonja,Karim Musah Kusubari has been elected as the Savannah Regional representative for the National Association of Local Authorities in Ghana (NALAG).

At a NALAG Regional Delegate conference held at Damongo,the Savannah Regional capital,the honorable MCE was unanimously nominated and affirmed as the Savannah Regional representative for the association.

He takes over from the immediate past Central Gonja District Chief Executive, Mustapha Mahama,who was formerly occupying the said representative position for the region.

Present for the all important delegate conference were the seven Metropolitan, Municipal and District Chief executives from the region, presiding members and some selected Assembly members from the region.

Thus,in all,seven MMDCEs, seven presiding members and some selected Assembly members drawn across the Savannah region took part in the crucial election.

In a brief acceptance speech,the West Gonja MCE expressed gratitude to the National Executive Committee for the timely organization of the conference in the region.

He also extended a debt of appreciation to all the delegates for the unanimous confidence reposed in him as the their representative, pledging good stewardship under his watch towards the overall growth and development of the Savannah Region.

The young MCE lauded his predecessor,the former Central Gonja DCE for the good representation over the years and solemnly pledged to continue the baton of leadership from where he stopped.

Source: Ananpansah, B Abraham

Middlemen exploiting cashew farmers in West Gonja - president of cashew farmers alleges

Middlemen exploiting cashew farmers in West Gonja - president of cashew farmers alleges

The president of the West Gonja chapter of the Cooperative Cashew Farmers and Marketing Union,Iddrisu Sumani Azambuja,is accusing some allied middlemen in the cashew value chain of conspiring to exploit cashew farmers in the West Gonja Municipal of the Savannah Region.

This he said was barefaced in the low prices these middlemen hide behind the value chain to offer to cashew farmers in the municipality for their many years of toil.

In an engagement with the media,the vociferous president noted rather regrettably that cashew farmers in the municipality were currently being paid as low as Ghc2 to Ghc3 per kilo of raw cashew nuts against the minimum price set by the minister somewhere December,2021.

"Friends from to the media,it is disgusting to point out that cashew farmers in our municipality after toiling many years to take care of the tree crops are offered between Ghc2 and Ghc3 per kilo of raw cashew nuts purchased and same is sold to exporters at a rate above Ghc7  per kilo. 

It can be recalled that in December 2021,the Minister of Food and Agriculture,Dr.Owusu Afriyie Akoto announced the minimum price of raw cashew nuts to be Ghc5 per kilo and cautioned all buyers not to offer any price below the minimum price at farm gates accross all cashew growing areas in Ghana,"he said.

He said the cashew farmers are compelled by pressing social needs to sell the raw cashew nuts to these allied middlemen at any price offered,a situation which he believed was discouraging  many farmers and especially,the youth from venturing into cashew farming in the municipality.

Mr. Azambuja called for unity and a collaborative effort among cashew farmers under one umbrella to foster a stronger voice and increased bargaining power through the cashew union for a guaranteed price.

The cashew advocate disclosed that, there was the need for the over 3,000 existing cashew farmers in the muncipality to adopt and discuss the Cashew Pricing Notification System developed by TreeAid Ghana for cashew farmers,buyers and processors to transact a win-win cashew business deals with cashew farmers directly into contract signing for a competitive cashew prices to members. He also hinted of plans to go into future processing of cashew into fruit juice,jams and cashew kernels for domestic market consumption in northern Ghana.

Whilst calling for stakeholder support to reverse the current trend,he launched a passionate appeal to the Regional and Municipal Agric Directorates to help build the capacity of cashew farmers in the union, especially in the areas of pricing and marketing.

He disclosed that henceforth,legal actions would be taken against any middlemen who will attempt to exploit cashew farmers through the backdoor and non cooperative members will be sanctioned accordingly.

Source: Ananpansah, B Abraham

We intend to take technology to grassroots - Co-founder of iValley Ghana

We intend to take technology to grassroots - Co-founder of iValley Ghana

The Co-founder of iValley Ghana,Prince Nabil Mahama has said his outfit intends to take technology and innovation to the doorsteps of the people of the Savannah Region.

Addressing a crop of young leaders at the first ever Startup Summit for young entrepreneurs in the Savannah Region held at Damongo,the regional capital, he said there was the need for young people to identify problems confronting their communities and devise solutions to address those challenges with the help of technology.

According to him,the goal is to reduce business failures in the Savannah Region and equip the youth with capacity building and entrepreneural skills towards reducing youth unemployment in the region and Ghana at large.

He said the summit was in partnership with the GhanaTechLab after six weeks of intensive training in Mobile Application Development for 13 young people in the Savannah Region,adding that," we started this program with 23 people,10 dropped out because of numerous reasons leaving these 13".

The trainees after the six weeks were given the opportunity to identify problems within their communities and develop a mobile application to address the identified problems. Four groups namely: Smart Farms,Gyeeda, Savannah tours and delivery hub came up with various solutions to challenges surrounding farming, culture, tourism and food delivery in the Savannah Region for pitching. At the end,Gyeeda was adjudged winners and selected alongside Savannah tours and delivery hub for the incubation stage of the competition. A seed capital of Ghc200.00 was given to each of the winning groups to assist register their businesses.

Dr. Abdul Fatahi Kambala, a lecturer at the University for Development Studies and a Business Development Consultant commended iValley and its partners for the initiative.

He said despite the enthusiasm of the youth of today, there was currently a gap in knowledge between their frustrations and solutions available to address those frustrations.

According to him,the youth of society in this modern era need to change their attitude towards progress and be agents of change instead of victims of this change.

"We have to do something to change our attitude here and now. We all have to come together to make that change. The world is changing on a daily basis. We should be agents of change,but not victims of this change that is happening.We have moved from green revolution to industrial revolution. Now, information is what is bringing us the needed change and if we do not look for information and knowledge,we will be where we are. Progress is at the corner,"the good old lecturer stressed.

The headmistress of the Damongo Senior High School,madam Aluguba Mercy, who was recognized with a citation for her outstanding contribution towards women empowerment in the Savannah Region expressed joy that she was being recognized for the change she effected in society thus far.

She said looking round, she sees many of her products through the Campaign for Female Education and School For Life doing marvelously well in various fields of endeavors in society to the glory of God.

The gender advocate was however, not happy with the inferiority complex,lack of self confidence and stage fright exibited by most young girls of today and launched a passionate appeal for change.

Madam Amida Sibenlira,the CEO of Gyeeda and winners of the pitch competition was grateful to the Almighty God for the victory bestowed. 

She thanked her other team members for the collaborative effort that led to the victory,whilst pledging that her team will double up efforts to connect to more investors to support grow their idea to reality.

Some groups of investors also expressed interest in partnering with Smart Farms in realizing their innovative idea of changing the face of farming in the Savannah Region.

Source : Ananpansah, B Abraham

Gifts program is golden opportunity to eradicate anemia from Ghana- GHS

Gifts program is golden opportunity to eradicate anemia from Ghana- GHS

The Ghana Health Service in the Savannah Region is calling on the general public to embrace the Girls' Iron Folic Tablets Supplementation (Gifts) program as an important step to eradicating anemia among adolescent girls in Ghana.

At a media/stakeholder engagement on Girls' Iron Folic Tablets Supplementation (GIFTS) program held at Damongo,the Savannah Regional capital,the Regional Nutrition Officer, Brian Kamara noted that anemia remains a problem of public health significance in Ghana with a prevalence rate of 26% among young adults aged 15-19 years in 2017.  

He said the GIFTS program was being implemented as an inter-sectorial intervention between the Ghana Health Service and the Ghana Education Service with their partners to promote health and nutrition education and enhance behavior change to control and prevent anemia.

According to him,due to the inadequate cross-sectorial communication and poor institutional commitment, there were a lot of misconceptions around the GIFTs program with some misconceiving the IFA Supplements as family planning pills, adding that," we need the strong partnership and support of the media to correct some of these misconceptions".

The Savannah Regional Director of the Ghana Health Service, Dr. Chrystantus Kubio,used the opportunity to dispel rumors of meningitis outbreak in the region, whilst calling for a collaborative effort to address issues of anemia among adolescent girls.

He said there was the need to incorporate health and nutrition education among adolescent girls both in school and out of school to promote healthy behaviors and eradicate misconceptions surrounding the Iron Folic Acid Supplementation.

On Covid-19,he said there were gaps in the vaccination as we enter the fourth wave of the pandemic with a lot of people resisting the jab.

According to him,the service has received enough stock of the Covid-19 vaccines for the region.

He called on the media to help address the public misconceptions and hesitancy to the Covid-19 jab in order to reduce the risk of spread of the virus.

Source: Ananpansah,B Abraham

Damongo police intercepts bus carrying suspected foreigners

Damongo police intercepts bus carrying suspected foreigners

The Damongo Police Command in the West Gonja Municipal of the Savannah Region has intercepted a Sprinter Bus carrying suspected foreigners from neighbouring Togo.

The bus with registration number AS-9399-12 was interdicted at the Busunu barrier in the evening hours of Monday January 10, carrying about 30 passengers believed to be citizens of Togo and subsequently referred to the Divisional Police Headquarters for further interrogation.

DSP Johnson Hessey, the Divisional Police Commander for Damongo,who disclosed the information to this source said the suspects were restrained from entering the town after the driver of the bus failed to furnish the police with accurate information regarding the destination of the bus.

Preliminary investigations reveal that, six (6) of the passengers on board the vehicle were minors, with 24 adults comprising two (2) women.

What was gravely frightening was the fact that,all the passengers on board the vehicle could not speak any of the native Ghanaian languages when queried except french, which gave a signal that the were not Ghanaians.

Police interrogations further revealed that, most of the passengers when probed admitted to be hailing from Togo with some claiming to be of Baasari and Kokomba tribes, who are believed to have migrated into the country.

The leader of the migrating group,Jawien Tien Tinakpatien however explained that, they were heading towards Sawla in the Sawla-Tuna-Kalba District to engage in some hired labour activities, including farming.

He disclosed that he has been a regular visitor to Sawla almost every year.

The suspects are currently at the Damongo Police Command to assist with investigations.

Details soon...

Source: Ananpansah,B Abraham

We'll ensure Babato farms is connected to national grid to boost production-Savannah regional minister

We'll ensure Babato farms is connected to national grid to boost production-Savannah regional minister

The Savannah Regional Minister,Saaed Muhazu Jibreal has hinted of plans to extend electricity to the Babato Farms Company Limited in the Bole-Bamboi District of the Savannah Region in order to help cut cost and boost production.

He made this remarks when he paid a working visit to the Babato farms in the company of all the MMDCEs in the region and the various security heads as part of activities marking their annual retreat.

According to the minister,the farm has the ability to provide employment to the teaming youth in the Savannah Region and the Bono East Region when supported with the needed logistics.

"We are in the Bole District as Savannah Regional Coordinating Council. We actually came for a retreat to talk about government policies for the past year and what is ahead of us for 2022. Today was designed to see investments by private people and government projects within the Savannah Region...

"And as can be seen, Babato Farms is one of the biggest agricultural investment we have in the Savannah Region with employment potentials for the youth. One of the major problems of the farms is electricity. As can be seen,they have giant machines generating power for the irrigation plants, which in a day takes up to 1500 littres to 1800 littres of Diesel within 30 hours to irrigate this land. 

"And so,there is the need for us to cut cost and by cutting cost means that government in its power will have to make sure that we bring the national grid to this facility here...So as I speak now, myself and my DCE for Bole are going to put our heads together to make sure that we go to see the minister of energy to speed up electricity connection to the farm. We intend to link the ongoing electricity extension work between Babato village and the next Village where the farm is located so that they get access to electricity. We will make sure that the electricity is provided so that they are able to develop 50% of their under utilized land,"he said.

Whilst encouraging other investors to take advantage of the many investment potentials in the region,the minister said the region was poised to reclaim its lost glory as the biggest maize producing region in Northern Ghana.

The manager of Babato Farms,Mahabaleshwar Hegde disclosed that the Babato farm was established in 2016 by a UK based African Agricultural Company,AgDevCo to lease 10,000 hectors of land from the people of Babato to setup a commercial farming hub. The farm in his narration is now being fully owned by Obaapack Ghana,a fruit and vegetable agribusiness conglomerate located at Techiman in the Bono East Region.

According to him,the Babato Farms Company Limited currently has about 353 hectors of land in utilization with 9,000 hectors of under utilized land,adding that,they intend to fill the shortage in maize production in Ghana.

He said they rotate four crops cycles in a year to reduce pest and disease build up in the soil,thus Maize, Soyabeans,onion and Banana with a major focus now on Onion and Soyabeans, which is the main focus of Obaapack.

Recounting the challenges of the farm,he said the high production cost from diesel for the plants is their major challenge and sometime, the weather conditions which affect their output and profit margins. 

The District Chief Executive for Bole-Bamboi, Veronica Alele Heming commended the management of Babato farms for the good work they were doing for the region and pledged the full support of government. 

The Babato Farms located in the Bole-Bamboi District draws water from the Black Volta through floating pipes to irrigate at present about 2 hectors of Banana field,2.4 hectors of onion nursery among others.

Source: Ananpansah,B Abraham

We want to be hub for maize production in Ghana-Savannah based Babato farms

We want to be hub for maize production in Ghana-Savannah based Babato farms

Management of Babato Farms Company Limited, a Commercial Farming Hub located in the Bole-Bamboi District of the Savannah Region has said they were positioning themselves as the biggest maize production centre in Ghana

Disclosing this during a working visit by a team of stakeholders from the region led by the Savannah Regional Minister,Eric Abeku Cudjoe, the Northern Sales Manager for new Agric solution and Superviser for Babato Maize field said to the hub currently has the potential to become the biggest maize producer in Ghana.

He said there was currently over 9,000 hectors of unutilized land on the project that can be explored for large scale maize production with the necessary investment in electricity,since power generation was their major challenge.

He appealed to the minister and his entourage to help them address the power challenge in order to enable them achieve this vision and more.

The Savannah Regional Minister,Saaed Muhazu Jibreal hinted of plans to extend electricity to the farm in order to help them cut cost and boost production.

The minister,who was in the company of all the MMDCEs in the region and the various security heads as part of activities marking their annual retreat said government support was very necessary to help the company operate efficiently and profitably.

According to the minister,the farm has the ability to provide employment to the teaming youth in the Savannah Region and the Bono East Region when supported with the needed logistics.

"We are in the Bole District as Savannah Regional Coordinating Council. We actually came for a retreat to talk about government policies for the past year and what is ahead of us for 2022. Today was designed to see investments by private people and government projects within the Savannah Region...

"And as can be seen, Babato Farms is one of the biggest agricultural investment we have in the Savannah Region with employment potentials for the youth. One of the major problems of the farms is electricity. As can be seen,they have giant machines generating power for the irrigation plants, which in a day takes up to 1500 littres to 1800 littres of Diesel within 30 hours to irrigate this land. 

"And so,there is the need for us to cut cost and by cutting cost means that government in its power will have to make sure that we bring the national grid to this facility here...So as I speak now, myself and my DCE for Bole are going to put our heads together to make sure that we go to see the minister of energy to speed up electricity connection to the farm. We intend to link the ongoing electricity extension work between Babato village and the next Village where the farm is located so that they get access to electricity. We will make sure that the electricity is provided so that they are able to develop 50% of their under utilized land,"he said.

He encouraged investors to take advantage of the many investment potentials in the region, adding that, Savannah Region was poised to reclaim its lost glory as the biggest maize producing region in Northern Ghana.

The manager of Babato Farms,Mahabaleshwar Hegde disclosed that the Babato farm was established in 2016 by a UK based African Agricultural Company,AgDevCo to lease 10,000 hectors of land from the people of Babato to setup a commercial farming hub. The farm in his narration is now being fully owned by Obaapack Ghana,a fruit and vegetable agribusiness conglomerate located at Techiman in the Bono East Region.

According to him,the Babato Farms Company Limited currently has about 353 hectors of land in utilization with 9,000 hectors of under utilized land,adding that,they intend to fill the shortage in maize production in Ghana.

He said they rotate four crops cycles in a year to reduce pest and disease build up in the soil,thus Maize, Soyabeans,onion and Banana with a major focus now on Onion and Soyabeans, which is the main focus of Obaapack.

Recounting the challenges of the farm,he said the high production cost from diesel for the plants is their major challenge and sometime, the weather conditions which affect their output and profit margins. 

The District Chief Executive for Bole-Bamboi, Veronica Alele Heming commended the management of Babato farms for the good work they were doing for the region and pledged the full support of government. 

The Babato Farms located in the Bole-Bamboi District draws water from the Black Volta through floating pipes to irrigate at present about 2 hectors of Banana field,2.4 hectors of onion nursery among others.

Source: Ananpansah,B Abraham

Hands on skills training- Fresh Yogurt production in Canteen etal

Hands on skills training- Fresh Yogurt production in Canteen etal

Give-Back Component of MasterCard Foundation 

(Target: Yogurt production,soap making,beads making,tye and dye,etcetera).

There couldn't have been a better way to begin the year 2022. Happy to say that through our humble brother,Salifu Abdul Hamid (MasterCard Foundation Scholar), we secured an intensive Yogurt production skills training program for the smart and dedicated young girls and women of the Canteen Electoral Area.

Through a collaborative effort,over 60 young girls and women drawn from various women groups in Canteen benefited from the free skills training/Self Help Project. Participants were drawn from Savannah Ladies, Surviving Ladies,Kanyiti Wale Group, Asezele Women group of no.5 and Number 6 Frafra Women Group.

After two days of intensive training,our galant women were able to produce fresh Yogurt of different flavors ( Fan Yogurt,Fanice,Fanchoko,apple yogurt, mango yogurt,nut yogurt,banana yogurt,just mention them).

Infact,after learning with our young girls,I am also able to confidently produce yogurt of any Flavor.😘

All you need is your milk source,raw liquid or pasteurized form,starter culture and addictions (flavors or sweeteners). You then get your equipment and run the process from Standardization, homogenization,heat treatment, cooling,innoculation,fermentation, mixing & smoothening, mixing & homogenization,cold storage and drinking yogurt. Sounds simple, right?

If His grace continue to remain sufficient in our lives,our next phase will focus on soap making among others.

I committed to buy the first bottle from any of the women or groups that will start production of the yogurt for commercial purposes at a cost of Ghc50.00 plus an undisclosed surprise package for further production.

Mind you,under the project,there is a window to solicit for support for those that would implement the outcome of the training seriously in order to put body and soul together!!!

Whilst commending our women for responding massively to our invitation, even at a very short notice,I wish to say that given the necessary support, Canteen can produce fresh and delicious yogurt to feed the entire Savannah Region. All we crave for now is the packaging machine, equipment and some little push and we'll become the world bank of fresh Yogurt production. Most of the raw materials can be produced locally.

If you believe in this vision,kindly come to the aid of our trainees in whatever way you can and you'll never regret investing in this worthy course. Kindly get in touch and let's together empower our communities and young women! Employable skills with the necessary support leads to empowerment that reduce the unemployment gap!

I want to thank my big brother, Abdul Hamid for remembering home and making time for us to impart this life changing skills on our community. We use God to bless you.

I am looking forward to working more with you and other like minded individuals for the larger benefit of the people of the Canteen Electoral Area. 

The big vision is on!

May God bless Canteen Electoral Area and make her people bold and strong.

A productive 2022 to you and your family.

Shalom!

........................................

Ananpansah Bartholomew Abraham (AB)

(Assemblyman, Canteen Electoral Area)

0241129910/0200704844)