According to him, such a policy is necessary to protect farm lands from being sold for uncontrolled real estate development.

Mr Tweneboah made the call in an interview with the Ghana News Agency in Koforidua, capital city of the Eastern Region.

He predicted that if the rate at which farm lands were being acquired by estate developers was not checked, the country could become a net importer of food very soon.

Mr Tweneboah said under the Planting for Export and Rural Development (PERD) policy, the New Juaben South

Municipality started with chili pepper production but since Ghana could not meet the export standards of Europe, the Municipality adopted oil palm.

He said the Municipal Assembly had identified 245 acres of land for the development of an oil palm plantation.

According to Mr Tweneboah said, the All Nations University College's proposal to cultivate a 600 acre coconut plantation had been approved by the Assembly.

He said New Juaben's 46 square kilometer land mass was highly urbanized and built up, leaving virtually no space for the development of plantations.