President John Dramani Mahama said government would continue to make huge investments in agriculture as that sector was the economic backbone of the country's economy.
He said apart from meeting the country's food requirement, it was the best means of resolving unemployment and raising incomes in the rural areas.
President Mahama said this in an address read on his behalf by Mr Dan Abodakpi, Ghana’s High Commissioner to Malaysia, at the 11th Annual Deza (Oil Palm Festival) of the people of Dzodze Traditional Area in the Ketu North District at the weekend.
The festival, instituted to revive the oil palm industry in the area, was celebrated on the theme: "Deza, a Tool for Peace, Tolerance and Unity Towards Development".
"We will continue to invest to modernize agriculture to further enhance its profitability and attractiveness," President Mahama said.
He said the objective of the festival was in line with government’s plans for the agriculture sector.
President Mahama advised the chiefs and people of Dzodze to uphold unity and peace to advance their development saying government had achieved a "massive infrastructure development" due to the peace that prevailed.
He also advised them to ignore superfluous and unachievable promises by politicians as the elections drew nearer and that his government had laid a strong foundation for the country’s takeoff through infrastructural development.
He called for peace during the elections.
Mr Modestus Ahiable, Ghana's Ambassador to Benin, and a native of the area, called for detailed plans to drive the aims of the festival to success instead of the yearly fanfare.
Mr Horvey Dzineku, Chairman of the Festival Planning Committee, commended government for the development projects executed in the area.
He appealed to government to help the Keta-Akatsi Dioceses of the Roman Catholic Church to secure accreditation for the proposed Nurses Training College at Dzodze.