He disclosed that government was in contact with prospective investors, some of whom have expressed interest in the Tumu Cotton Ginnery, and assured that government would certainly facilitate the process to ensure the revamping of the ginnery to boost the textile industry in Ghana.
Vice-President Bawumia gave the hint during this year’s celebration of the ‘Paari Gbiele’ festival of the chiefs and people of Tumu Traditional Area in the Sissala East Municipality of the Upper West Region.
He noted that government was aware of the contribution of farmers in the Sissala area regarding the production of cotton to the textile industry in Ghana, and was therefore determined to revamp the cotton ginnery to help farmers make some income while contributing to the textile industry.
The Vice-President noted that along with the government’s policy of ‘Planting for Food and Jobs’ (PFJs), it had also initiated a policy of ‘One Village, One Dam’, and gladly hinted that the policy was about to take-off this year.
Dr Bawumia announced that a total of 570 dams were expected to be constructed this year, adding that the sod-cutting for the commencement of the policy would be done within few weeks.
“Both the Sissala East Municipal and Sissala West District will each be getting 10 dams this year”, he assured.
The Vice-President said government was again aware that Sissala East Municipal was one of the major maize-producing areas in the country and could adequately support the production of the animal feed and poultry industry if the farmers blended maize with soya bean production.
He noted that under the ‘Planting for Investment and Export’ policy, government was encouraging farmers, especially those in the Brong Ahafo and the three regions of the north, to embrace the cultivation of cashew, which, he said, was an important cash crop capable of protecting the environment while providing stable income for farmers.
Dr Bawumia noted that the Ministry of Food and Agriculture and the Metropolitan, Municipal and District Assemblies (MMDAs) were facilitating the cashew project implementation and would realise the tremendous benefits to be derived from the cultivation of the multipurpose cash crop.
The cultivation of the cash crop, he said, was specifically designed for the purpose of poverty reduction.
Kuoro Richard Babini Kanton VI, the paramount chief of the Tumu Traditional Area, commended the government for introducing social interventions such as the Free Senior High School (FSHS), the PFJs and the fertiliser subsidy policies, which were impacting positively on the lives of the people.
The paramount chief, however, expressed worry about the poor road network in the area, and said he was looking up to the President to fix the roads, at least, before the end of his first tenure of office in 2020.
Kuoro Kanton was also worried about the non-existence of a major bridge at the Sissoli River to link the Sissala South area to the Builsa South District in the Upper East Region.
He said the bridge, if constructed, would also facilitate the carting of farm produce from the Southern Corridor of the Sissala East to the marketing centres in the Upper East Region, as well as boost trade and commerce in general.
-GNA
(Selorm) | 
(Nana Kwesi)