The Planting for Food and Jobs Secretariat under the Directorate of Agriculture of the Ahanta West Municipal Assembly (AWMA) has received 235 bags of certified seed of maize for farmers under the Initiative.

In addition, a total of 5,200 NPK and 400 Urea fertilizers have been supplied to 818 farmers of which 524 are males and 294 are females.

The Agricultural Extension Officers from the Directorate also visited some operational areas with the objective of assessing and monitoring the activities of farmers, sensitize them on best farming practices in the area of planting for Food and Jobs, control of fall armyworm, cassava multiplication, row planting, fertilizer application and zero tillage demonstrations.

The Assembly also provided vaccines and treatment against some animal diseases such as mange, Newcastle and rabies among others, treating in all 499 goats, 189 sheep, 47 pigs and 47 dogs.

Madam Henrietta Mary Eyison, Municipal Chief Executive Officer (MCE) of the AWMA announced this at the First Ordinary Meeting of the First Session of the Assembly.

She said, the Assembly and the Directorate of Agriculture in collaboration with SOLIDARIDAD trained about 1,000 oil palm farmers on Best Management Practices and distributed approximately 36,000 seedlings to 503 farmers to cultivate 500 acres of land.

According to her, agriculture was the backbone of the country's economic development and for that matter the Assembly treated matters relating to agriculture with importance, hence the continuous investment in the sector.

Madam Eyison bemoaned that the Assembly had its activities, Programmes and projects halted because of the stringent and restrictive measures put in place to curb the spread of the COVID-19 pandemic across the nation.

She added that though the challenges were rare, it did not relent on its effort to work in delivering quality services to the people of Ahanta West.

She pointed out that the Assembly showed its determination towards the support of the vulnerable in society as it made a disbursement of disability grants and working tools to 123 persons with disability (PWDs) in the Municipality.

She said plans were far advanced for the distribution of the second batch of disability grant for persons living with disability and urged Members of the Assembly to support the disbursement team on arrival at their various communities.

Touching on LEAP disbursement, she said the Unit embarked on its 65th and 66th cycles and payments were made to 580 households out of which 264 households received cash out amounting to GHC 48, 576 from the Assembly while others were paid by associated financial institutions.