Zoomlion says can manage state farms
Zoomlion, Ghana’s leading waste management company, has challenged Government to let it manage state farms following progress the company was chalking under its Zoom Farm Project in the country.
Mr Francis Atayure Abirigo, the Communications Officer of Zoomlion for the Northern Sector, who threw the challenge on Thursday, said the company had cultivated 900 acres of various farm crops in the upper East, Upper West and Northern Regions under the Project.
Speaking with the Ghana News Agency (GNA) in Tamale, Mr Abirigo said Zoomlion has the human resource capacity and the managerial competencies needed to bring to fruition Government’s national food buffer stock project.
He said over the years, Ghanaians and Africans had failed in managing state businesses and properties, but had also succeeded in managing private businesses.
Mr Abirigo said the Northern Region alone cultivated 360 acres of land for rice cultivation at the Savelugu/Nanton District. In the Yendi Municipality in the Upper West 298 acres of land in four districts have been cultivated.
He said 107 acres, 86 acres and 105 acres in the Upper West have been used for the cultivation of maize, cowpea and soya beans respectively.
Mr Abirigo added that the Upper East Region cultivated 145 acres of land in three districts out of which, 75 acres had been used for maize production and 70 acres for soya beans.
He called for Zoom Farms’ Project to be integrated into the Youth in Agriculture Module under the National Youth Employment Programme (NYEP) to ensure increased food production.
Mr Abirigo also called on government to consider farming as a sure way to bridge the gap between the poor and the rich.
The Communication Officer urged Ghanaian youth to see farming as a sustainable employment avenue since it has the potential of improving their economic status rather than looking for non-existent white colour jobs.
He used the opportunity to assure the nation that the company would continue to pursue its delivery of proper and efficient waste management collection and to keep the nation clean and beautiful.
Source: GNA