Workshop on adding value to cassava opens

Community contribute towards power project

Rawlings invited to G77 conference

Female tractor driver crushed to death

Man found hanging, police suspect foul play

Accra (Greater Accra), 18^th January 00

A five-day workshop aimed at equipping participants with skills to add value to cassava, to reduce post harvest losses and improve food security in the country opened in Accra on Monday.

It is being jointly organised by the Ministry of Food and Agriculture, (MOFA), the International Institute for Tropical Agriculture (IITA), Ibadan, Nigeria and the Food Research Institute.

The workshop will among other things help participants to know how to process good quality cassava for exports and introduce them to available cassava products on the market.

Mr. Akwasi Adjei Adjekum, National Programme Co-ordinator of the Root and Tuber Improvement Programme, (RTIP) said root crops and tubers form 40 per cent of agriculture produce, with cassava alone accounting for some 22 per cent.

"Cassava is a main source of carbohydrate and a dietary requirement for the rural poor.

"Owing to its bulkiness and high water content, post harvest losses is higher than most root crops and there is, therefore, the need to process cassava to improve its quality."

Mr Johnson Asiedu-Nketia, a Deputy Minister of Agriculture in charge of crops, said research shows that cassava is the staple of over 200 million people in tropical Africa.

He said the government has sought to develop the full potential of the crop through the RTIP because of the important role it plays in the economy of the nation.

"Fortunately, cassava has been found to respond very favourably to innovative and transforming technologies in its utilisation. By this process cassava can be turned into a major economic crop and expose its exports potential.

"Processing and utilisation of cassava would not only reduce post-harvest losses but would enable us provide local substitutes for some imported convenience food as well as generate employment opportunities."

Dr Francis Ofori, Director of Crop Services, MOFA, said cassava contributes to sustainable poverty alleviation, since it could be grown under diverse ecological conditions.

GRi

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The chiefs and people of Nwineso Number Three in the Bosomtwe-Atwima-Kwanwoma district have embarked on a 30 million-cedi electrification project to help promote the establishment of cottage industries and check the migration of the youth to urban centres.

The project involves the erection of 70 poles and is being financed through the payment of special development levies by the people.

Non-resident males are paying 20,000 cedis each with females contributing 10,000 cedis while the residents are paying 10,000 cedis and 5,000 cedis per male and females respectively.

Nana Kwasi Abire, chief of the town, who announced this at a fund-raising rally in support of the project, said 20 of the poles have been procured.

Dr Matthew K. Antwi, Member of Parliament (MP) for Atwima-Kwanwoma praised the people for their initiative, since "self-help is crucial for development."

The MP advised the people to register during the national population and housing census which, he said, could determine the feasibility or otherwise of creating a separate district for the constituency.

Mr. Isaac K. Nyame, District Chief Executive, said the project has been selected for completion by the government under the Self-Help Electrification Project (SHEP) this year.

More than four million cedis was realised at the rally.

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Accra (Greater Accra), 18^th January 2000

The government of Cuba on Monday invited President Jerry John Rawlings to a conference of the Group of 77 developing countries slated for Havana from April 10 to 15, to discuss their economies in relation to globalisation.

Mr. Angel Dalmah, Cuba's Foreign Minister, who extended the invitation when he called on President Rawlings at the Castle, Osu, said the "South Summit" would deliberate on a plan of action to adopt for the United Nations Millennium Summit scheduled for New York in September.

"It is the hope of the Cuban government that President Rawlings will attend the summit because his contribution will be beneficial", he said.

President Rawlings said until developing countries took themselves serious, "they will continue to be at the periphery of the economies and technologies of the modern world".

He said developing countries have the numbers, the resources and the circumstances to speed up their development. "We need to examine where we are and where we are going".

Mr. Victor Gbeho, Foreign Minister, said western countries have rearranged their affairs to take advantage of the new realities in global trade and until developing countries do the same "they will be at the receiving end".

"Ghana is interested in developing together to chart a new course", he said.

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Kade (Eastern Region), 18^th January 00

Miss Esther Asiedua popularly known as Gab, a 42-year-old tractor driver of the Ghana Oil Palm Development Company (GOPDC) at Kwae in the Eastern region, met her tragic end on January seven when she was crushed by the tractor she was driving.

The Kade Police said at about 5.15 p.m. the deceased, a mother of three, was driving a Massey Ferguson Tractor in the company of four other employees when on descending a hill she lost control and ran into a ditch.

Asiedua, with 20 years accident-free record, was thrown off and trapped under the rear tyres of the tractor.

Police investigations continue while the body has been sent to the Police Hospital in Accra for an autopsy.

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A middle-aged man was found hanging on a at Middle East, Ashaiman, near Tema on Sunday morning and police suspect foul play.

A police source said the man who has not yet been identified, appeared relax and the tongue was not protruding, as is normal with people commit suicide by hanging themselves.

The body has since been deposited at the Tema General Hospital while investigations continue.

Mr. Baba Alhassan, assemblyman for the area, said the man was hanging by a belt from a neem.

No arrest has been made.

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