The Eastern Regional Branch of the Ghana National Association of Farmers and Fishermen (GNAFF) has held its delegates conference at Koforidua, the regional capital, with a call on the members to be committed to their work in order to produce more for the country. 

A new regional executive was elected unopposed for the GNAFF, an umbrella body of farmers and fisherfolk under the Ministry of Food and Agriculture (MOFA) and Ministry of Fisheries and Aquaculture, for the next four years.

The members included the Chairman, Emmanuel Anunyam; Vice-Chairman, Nana Odiasempa Abena Ayyebea Okani; Secretary, Natey Djangma; Financial Secretary, John Boafo; Treasurer, Joseph Lawer; Organiser, Emmanuel Ofosu; Women’s Organiser, Patience Tsako Narter and the Youth Organiser, Michael Obeng. 

Strengthen  

The Eastern Regional Director of MOFA, Hajia Habiba Yusufu, the guest speaker for the programme held last Friday, was represented by the New Juaben North Director of Agriculture, Emmanuel Amenu.

In a speech read on her behalf, she said the congress was not just an election of new leadership, but it was an opportunity to strengthen the bond between all stakeholders and also mend all disagreements.

“As we have elected the new GNAFF executives, let us keep in mind that we all need to support them to successfully steer the affairs of the association to the promised land.

The new leadership must also be prepared to carry the torch of advocacy, reconciliation, consultation, capacity building, influencing policy and ensuring that the voices of farmers and fishermen are heard at every level of decision-making.”

“The leaders must focus on pressing issues of today and create a sustainable and inclusive future for the next generation of farmers and fishermen,” the regional director said.

The Agriculture Desk Officer of the Agriculture Development Bank (ADB), Edmund Larbi, said farming was a business and urged the members of the association not to be absentee farmers, but be regular with their activities, as through that they could yield maximum profit after harvesting.

He gave an assurance that the bank was still committed to giving loans to serious members of GNAFF for their work.

The Eastern Regional Director of the Fisheries Commission, Francis Barnes, who was represented by the Centre Manager of Fisheries Commission at Akosombo, Patrick Appenteng, took the delegates through the role of the Fisheries Commission in the development of the country.

The National Women Organiser of GNAFF, Naana Asi Tettey Akplehey I, of the Ada Traditional Area, said in every society and organisation where women found themselves, they were seen as key stakeholders and therefore urged all women to play their roles well in promoting GNAFF activities.

The Consultant of GNAFF, Francis Opai Tetteh, called for reorganisation and rebranding of GNAFF for effective promotion of its work.

A Divisional Chief of Ada, Nene Abordonu IV, domiciled in United States of America and a sponsor of many of GNAFF’s programmes, who spoke to participants via zoom, stressed the need for all farmers in the country to have silos for safe keeping of their farm products after harvesting, stressing “that is our major challenge in Ghana”.