WA WEST TO CULTIVATE 20,000 EXOTIC MANGOES (PAGE 22, AUGUST 14, 2010)

THE Wa West District Assembly is to cultivate 20,000 exotic mangoes interspersed with sunflower for export.
The GH¢260,000 project covering about 80 acres would be funded by the Export Development and Investment Fund (EDIF).
The District Chief Executive (DCE), Mr Seidu Tungbani, disclosed this to the new Upper West Regional Minister, Alhaji Issahaku Salia, during a working visit to the district.
The Deputy Regional Minister, Mr Caesar Kale, led Alhaji Salia to tour the district.
The Regional Minister said 200 farmers had been roped into the project under the Wa West Co-operative Mango Farmers Association.
“Because we have two paramountcies in this district, we have decided that 100 of the farmers should come from the Dorimon paramountcy while the other 100 comes from Wechiau, the district capital,” he explained, adding that each farmer would be entitled to an acre of land.
Mr Tungbani further stated that the funds would go into the preparation of the land, servicing of pipes and support structures, the purchase of a tractor and accessories, mango seedlings, weedicides and insecticides as well as other farming implements.
He said to ensure the successful implementation of the project and for the farmers to have a feeling of ownership of the project, a management team made up of some selected farmers had been set up to effectively manage the assets of the entire farmers.
The management team, the DCE said, included a representative from the respective villages where the farmer association was proactive.
Addressing heads of department later at the district assembly hall, the DCE expressed gratitude to them and members of the assembly for the co-operation given him since he assumed office, and urged them to keep it up.
Alhaji Salia commended the heads of department and members of the assembly for working hard towards the development of the district in particular, and the region in general.
He appealed to them to exercise restraint as the government was on track to bring development to the people.
Alhaji Salia and his entourage also called on the paramount chief of the Dorimon Traditional Area, Naa S.D. Gore, at his palace where he called for the support of the chiefs, stressing that he would seek their advice and suggestions when the need arose.
Naa Gore, who is the President of the Upper West Regional House of Chiefs, was not happy about the frequency at which the region kept changing political leaders.
“We are the last region in the country but the manner in which we change political leadership is not good,” he stressed and urged the regional minister to check the activities of foot soldiers of his political party.