Farmers in oil enclave urged to produce quality crops to meet market’s demands
Mr Alfred Ayah, Western Regional Coordinator of the Petroleum Commission (PC), has urged farmers in oil producing areas to produce quality food crops to meet the demand of the international market.
He noted that crops produced currently in such areas were nothing to write home about, resulting in some oil companies importing vegetables and meat products from Cote D’ivoire and South Africa.
Mr Ayah said this at Half-Assini during a public forum organized by the Ministry of Petroleum in collaboration with the Petroleum Commission as part of its community sensitization exercises in the four coastal districts of Ghana’s oil and gas enclave.
The forum attracted more than 174 participants drawn from Community Based Organizations, workers, fishermen, traditional rulers and a section of the public.
It was aimed at educating them to be abreast with the Local Content Law of Ghana’s Oil and Gas industry and to take advantage of its opportunities to enhance their socio-economic development.
The Coordinator therefore tasked Local farmers to position themselves very well by improving upon their businesses to enable them to benefit from the industry.
Mr Ayah noted with concern that the way and manner local farmers produced Vegetables and Poultry products in the Country leaves much to be desired thus not attracting foreign investors.
He therefore urged the farmers to use scientific methods in their farming to enable their produce attract the patronage of oil companies in future.
The Regional Coordinator said his outfit was determined to offer technical advice to Ghanaian farmers on scientific ways of producing food crops to meet International Standards.
Mr George William Somiah, the Jomoro District Chief Executive, in his welcoming address, said it was an undisputed fact that the district was benefiting from the Oil and Gas industry since Ghana’s discovery of oil in commercial quantities some six years ago.
He mentioned the Jubilee Partners such as Tullow, GNPC, KOSMOS Energy and Eni Foundation that were providing social interventions in the area in terms of education and health facilities as well as road networks.
Mr Somiah assured the citizenry of their fair share of the oil and gas industry.
The participants expressed grave concern over the high cost of LPG in the bountry as compared to nearby Cote d’ivoire, and inadequate streetlights in the oil enclave communities in the area.
Similar programmes are being held at Ellembelle, Nzema East and Ahanta Municipal and District Assemblies.
Source: GNA