WASSA EAST DISTRICT: WASSA EAST DISTRICT RECEIVES 156 LITRES OF CHEMICALS TO FIGHT FALL ARMY WORMS

WASSA EAST DISTRICT: WASSA EAST DISTRICT RECEIVES 156 LITRES OF CHEMICALS TO FIGHT FALL ARMY WORMS

Wassa East District Director of MOFA Mr. Joseph Kofi Ayiah

The Wassa East District in the Western Region has so far received and distributed a total of 156 litres of three different chemicals to farmers to help fight the infestation of fall army worms in the district.

More than 1000 farmers who own a total of 1,339.85 acreage of maize farms have had their plants attacked by the worms.

Hon. Wilson Arthur, the District Chief Executive (DCE) who announced this during the 6^th ordinary meeting of the 7^th session of the Wassa East District Assembly at Daboase, said the distribution of the chemical had in a way controlled the spread of the worm infestation.

He said the district was however expecting to receive more of the chemicals for distribution to affected farmers.

On other agricultural activities in the district, the DCE said about 1,066 farmers made up of 628 males and 438 females were sensitized on improved farming practices in crop and livestock production whiles 96 youth farmers were also taken through a 4 day rabbit production training.

Hon. Arthur said during the same period 2,500 birds were vaccinated against various diseases, 105 sheep, 199 goats, 12 pigs and 11 dogs were dewormed, and whiles two dogs and one monkey were vaccinated against rabies.

Touching on “planting for food and jobs” programme, the DCE said a technical committee for the programme has been constituted and that prospective farmers in the district were being encouraged to plant vegetables.

He said the district has so far received 76 bags of rice seeds, 121 sachets of pepper seeds, 379 bags of NPK and 379 bags of urea fertilizers for distribution to interested farmers.

The DCE said in line with government’s plans to increase cocoa production in the country, 30,000 cocoa farmers across the country would be introduced to the hand pollination technique and urged cocoa farmers in the area to adopt the technique that make one cocoa tree yield 100 to 500 pods.

He said government is determined to make cocoa farming more rewarding and attractive to the teaming unemployed youth in the district, adding that the Assembly had written to COCOBOD concerning the expansion of the Wassa East cocoa district to include more communities.

Hon. Arthur said as part of the social protection intervention programme to improve the livelihood of the poor and vulnerable, a total of 288 households in 13 communities have benefited from 4 cycles of the LEAP disbursements since December last year.

On Persons Living with Disabilities (PWD), he said the disbursement of funds to the final batch of 70 beneficiaries who took part in the need assessment was done in December last year, adding that 460 PWD registered with the assembly have also been served.

Hon. Arthur further said there is the need to update the data base to cover new cases and those who may not have been covered in the first exercise, adding that Skyy media group with support from star Ghana was partnering the district to enhance the impact of PWD in the district and that medical bills and school fees for some of them had been paid.

Hon Arthur also said the district participated and presented 1,752 candidate made up of 996 boys and 760 girls in the just ended Basic Education Certificate Examination (BECE).

On Health, the DCE said in the past five month a total of 6,658 clients were registered under the NHIS of which 2,816 are now registrants whiles 3,840 are renewals.

He said 356,508 cedis has been paid as claims in the first quarter to the 28 service providers in the district.

Touching on water and sanitation, the DCE said the Assembly with funds from the common fund secretariat has been able to dig 20 boreholes with an additional five boreholes funded by the district development fund.