Agric Ministry orders District Magistrate Court to compel farmer to pay GH¢800

The Tano South District Office of the Ministry of Food and Agriculture (MOFA) on Thursday sought an order from the District Magistrate Court at Bechem to compel a farmer to pay a sum of GH¢800, being the cost of inputs MOFA supplied to Mrs. Afia Kumi Osman, 2009 best maize farmer in the District, under the block farm project.

The court presided by Mr. Joseph Akuoko, adjourned the case for another hearing on November 3, 2011.

Mr. Ernest Boakye Afari, Registrar of the court, told the Ghana News Agency (GNA) after the proceedings that between April and May 2003, MOFA under its block farm project supplied Mrs. Osman with a bag of maize, NPK fertilizer, five bags of ammonia and GH¢60 cash, all valued at GH¢470, to cultivate five acres of maize.

He said under the block farm agreement, Mrs. Osman was to supply four bags of maize from every one acre she harvested to MOFA but the farmer failed to honour the agreement.

“Mrs. Osman explained to MOFA that the crop did not do well that season but agreed to pay GH¢500 to MOFA”, Mr. Afari stated.

The court registrar said Mrs. Osman requested for another set of inputs from the Ministry to enable her to work and pay the money under a similar agreement.

In August 2010, MOFA gave the woman cassava sticks, money to clear the farm and cultivate two acres of cassava. MOFA also gave her money to raise a fire belt, he added.

Mr. Afari said the woman cultivated the farm whilst MOFA continued to provide her with technical advice.

“MOFA went and cut some cassava sticks from Mrs. Osman’s farm on two occasions during harvesting period under the agreement and expected the farmer to harvest the crop and pay the money she owed MOFA”, he said.

Mr. Afari added that somewhere in August 2010 when payment was due the farmer failed to pay the money to the Ministry. He stated that Mrs. Osman had neglected payments in spite of continued requests from MOFA

Source: GNA