Mr Kwadwo Nyamekye Marfo, Brong-Ahafo
Regional Minister, has called on the government to set aside a special budget every year to control army worms for increased maize production.
He said since the worms attack cereals, particularly maize every year, it was very important that the Ministry of Food and Agriculture (MOFA) is well resourced to control the pest.
Mr Nyamekye-Marfo made the call when he visited some communities in Nkoranza South District to ascertain the damage caused to some maize farms
by army worms.
His visit took him to maize producing communities in the district including Dandwa, Ayerede and Pruso.
The Regional Minister expressed regret about the damage caused by the insects to maize farms and stressed that "if MOFA is given enough time and
resources to prepare towards such disaster, the ministry will be able to combat future recurrence".
Mr Nyamekye-Marfo commended the district assembly, agricultural extension agents and the National Disaster Management Organisation (NADMO)
for initiating mitigation measures to control the pests.
Mr Evans Kwame Osei, Nkoranza South District NADMO coordinator, advised the farmers to pay regular visits to their farms to detect the outbreak of the worms early for immediate attention.
He urged the agricultural extension agents to offer the necessary advice and education to farmers on the pests.
Mr Osei appealed to NADMO to give some relief items to farmers whose farms had been destroyed by worms.