In an attempt to augment the survival of residents living in the Kwahu Obomeng community, during and after the fight against novel COVID-19 fight, the Chief of Kwahu Obomeng community, Oderfour Nana Effah Opinamang III and his elders have present several farm tools to farmers, the youth and every individual who desires to enter into farming in the community on Thursday, as a meas of motivating them to adequately secure themselves and the community against any form of hunger, especially in case the coronavirus pandemic tarries.
The first phase of items distributed include 200 pieces of cutlasses, 200 pieces of hoes, 200 pieces of farm boots, 200 packs of improved seeds and good cassava sticks for planting.
In a short ceremony to brief journalist on the motivation behind the gesture, Oderfour Effah Opinaang III indicated that, some sons and daughters of the community who are blessed by God and are well to do have been doing great services to the community by sending donations in the form of food items to be distributed to the aged, disabled, the vulnerable and youth of the community since the outbreak of the virus, of which the community will forever remain grateful to them for but added that, such gestures may not be done always and beneficiaries may also not depend on that forever, hence the need to encourage every able individual in his community to cultivate something for themselves and the community at large, especially in case the coronavirus period tarries.
“We have procured these farming tools to distribute to able individuals to begin backyard gardens and large farming because as we all know, some of our brothers and sisters who hitherto will send something to relatives back home are caught in lockdown areas and cannot fulfil those responsibility as they usually do. we must therefore make some efforts to sustain ourselves and them as well so that in a situation where the intended period of the virus tarries, we all may not be found wanting”. He said.
Nana Obomenghene further stated that, he and his elders will not want to see any able youth ideal handed after the distribution of the tools.
“Today food has become very expensive, for instance, an olonka of gari which used to be sold at ¢7.00 today sells close to Gh¢ 15.00 and that affects all other food stuffs. I therefore want us to begin in this way to secure ourselves and also augment government’s Planting for Food and Jobs policy, not forgetting the fact that my elders will carry routine monitoring to ensure that the tools are put to their intended uses and purposes”. He added.
Nana Wife Agyekum, Nkosochene of the community, who led the presentation and distribution of the farm tools also told journalist that, the Obomeng traditional council envisages that in a situation where the novel COVID-19 global pandemic tarries, there could be the likelihood of hardships on their residents and therefore are using the gesture to keep most of the residents especially the farmers and able ones busy in the farms in order to secure themselves of any such external shocks.
He further noted that, the traditional council has again allotted 200 acres of land for that purpose and are looking forward to give spraying machines and other agricultural
products to the farmers in addition.
“We will engage the agricultural extension officers in our district to assist the farmers in their work to ensure that whatever crop they cultivate is done in a more proper way”. He said.
Nana Wiafe Agyekum however behalf of the beneficiaries, thanked Oderfour Effah Opinmang III, for his wise initiative.
Mr. Eric Oware Agyapong, aka Alonzo, the assembly member for Obomeng electoral area, on behalf of the beneficiaries, thanked the Chief and his elders for the kind and wise gesture and like Oliver Twist, asked for more.