Africa-Press – Ghana. Naa Puowele Karbo III, the Paramount Chief of the Lawra Traditional Area, has commended the President John Dramani Mahama-led government for its renewed focus on promoting agriculture and the country’s infrastructure development.
He said aside from the uncertain rain pattern, farmers within the Lawra Traditional Area used to face challenges with access to agricultural mechanisation services and inputs such as fertilizers, and improved seeds almost every year.
Naa Karbo, however, indicated that the farmers in the area did not experience those challenges in the last cropping season, which he attributed to the government’s Feed Ghana Project.
He said: “I proposed at the previous Kobine Festival for the establishment of mechanisation centres equipped with tractors, fertilisers, seeds, and other inputs, and managed by extension officers.
“I am glad to see this vision being gradually realised through the Feed Ghana Project”, the Revered chief stated at Lawra during the climax of the 47th Kobine Festival celebration.
The festival, held under the theme: “Farming for a Healthy Living: The Role of Key Stakeholders in the Lawra Traditional Area”, brought together celebrants across the Upper West Region and beyond, including neighbouring Burkina Faso.
Kobine festival is an annual cultural activity of the Chiefs and people of the Lawra Traditional Area to thank God and their ancestors for successful farming season and promote unity and development of the area.
The week-long celebration was characterised by activities, including clean-up exercises, youth symposiums and cultural dances to celebrate the rich cultural heritage of the area.
Naa Karbo explained that the theme was chosen to reflect both the realities of the current farming season and the urgent need for collaboration among government, traditional authorities, and the private sector to strengthen the agricultural sector.
He said the Feed Ghana Project and the Big Push Infrastructure Programme were policies capable of transforming farming, improving livelihoods, and strengthening local economies.
Naa Karbo, also the President of the Upper West Regional House of Chiefs, expressed gratitude to the government for prioritising the Wenchi–Bole–Wa–Lawra–Hamile road under the Big Push Programme, but urged that work should be fast-tracked to ensure its timely construction.
Naa Karbo also reiterated his appeal for the completion of the Dikpe Bridge over the Black Volta, describing it as a long-awaited project that would enhance trade and movement between Ghana and Burkina Faso.
Dr. Abdul-Rashid Hassan Pelpuo, the Minister of Labour, Jobs and Employment, who represented President John Dramani Mahama at the festival, observed that the theme for the celebration was in line with the government’s vision for the agricultural sector.
“Our Feed Ghana Programme seeks to transform agriculture from subsistence to a modern, market-driven sector that guarantees food security, creates jobs, and promotes healthy living,” he added.
He emphasised that festivals such as the Kobine festival were vital platforms for promoting national unity and celebrating the contributions of farmers to Ghana’s development.
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