Ghanaians accuse Nana Addo of ‘stealing’ John Mahama’s achievement ▷

Some section of Ghanaians have criticize President Nana Addo for taking glory and stealing achievements of John Mahama’s administration .

The NPP in 7 months have not done anything for Ghanaians but have been going round commissioning and claiming credit for project done by the previous Govt .

The president According to the NPP will open the first factory under the New Patriotic Party (NPP) government’s, One-district-One factory program on Friday.

Abeiku Crentsil questioned the role of the current government in establishing the Ekumfi Fruit Processing Company factory.

He explained that, a local company CEDECOM started the initiative and the Japanese government committed 1.2 million for the project.

“In 2013, it was done between CEDECOM. This was something that was established. You can liken it to SADA which is meant to provide jobs and alleviate poverty in the Central Region. The land was secured by CEDECOM through the chiefs so there is nothing the NPP has provided in this so why should they claim credit for something they have not done,” the former MP said.

The reason why they could not build the factory, Abeiku Crentsil sad was because the pineapples cultivated took two years to grow.

He said the concept to build the factory was an initiative of the NDC thus government must give credit where it is due.

Nana Addo’s vow to Ekumfi
President Nana Akufo-Addo vowed to develop the Ekumfi District in honour of the late President John Evans Atta Mills [a native of the town] when he visited the place.
“Before we competed we were brothers. We were in university together. We were even in the same hall together as well. We were friends till the day he died. I have to do something to show that the friendship we had was not for nothing,” the President said at a durbar at Ekumfi Essakyir in the Ekumfi District during his tour of the Central Region a few weeks ago.
The ‘One District One Factory’ programme is designed to establish at least one viable factory in all 216 districts in Ghana as part of an industrialization drive aimed at providing jobs and transforming the economic fortunes of the country.

1. The NDC Govt of *President John Dramani Mahama* through the Ministry of Trade & Industry then headed by *Hon Haruna Iddrissu,* another agency of MoTI- CEDECOM headed by Mr Spencer Taylor, the Ekumfi MP- *Hon Abeiku Crentsil* and the Ekumfi District Assembly initiated the project in 2013.

2. It was *a GHc 1.2m organic sugarloaf pineapple growing project* with funding from the Japanese Govt and Ghana Govt through CEDECOM, which is an agency under the Ministry of Trade & Industry based in Cape Coast.

3. The project was launched in 2013 by the then Central Regional Minister- *Hon Dr Samuel Sarpong* ably assisted by the then Deputy Minister of MoTI – *Hon Edwin Nii Lantey Vanderpuye*, officials of CEDECOM, officials of the Japanese Govt, the then Ekumfi MP-Hon Abeiku Crentsil, Ekumfi Nananom and the District Assembly officials.

4. *The two year project assisted over 277 small-holder farmers in the District from ten (10) Ekumfi communities.*

5. It was successfully implemented and beneficiary farmers after harvesting and marketing their produce, are settling their indebtedness from their profits for other farmers to also benefit from the project since it’s a revolving fund.

6. *Hon Nii Lantey Vanderpuye* informed the participating agencies, farmers, Ekumfiman and Ekumfi Nananom that it was *an agricultural base policy of the Govt of President John Dramani Mahama that aims at ensuring the production of the necessary raw materials to feed the Nation’s industries.*

7. *Hon Abeiku Crentsil* commended Govt through CEDECOM for making provisions for the beneficiary farmers to retain 30% of the revenue and *appealed to Govt & CSOs to provide the area with a processing factory so as to help reduce post-harvest losses.* (This was in 2013).

8. After the successful implementation of this project in 2015, officials from the Ministry of Trade & Industry led by *Hon Dr Ekwow Spio Garbrah* then, met all Ekumfi stakeholders at the Ekumfi Essarkyir Community Center near the District Assembly for appraisal where the *announcement of Govt’s resolve to establish the Ekumfi Pineapple Processing Factory was made* to the admiration of all.

9. After the feasibility studies were done, the technical committee and all stakeholders agreed to site the project at *Ekumfi Eyisam.*

10. Subsequently, a lot of work was put into ensuring the establishment of the factory as the second component of the pineapple growing project be it institutional, financial, governance structures, technical capabilities, consultations etc and just when it was time for the sod-cutting, *there was a change of Govt*.

11. *Therefore if the current Govt has decided to continue the laudable project of his predecessors, they should be humble and truthful enough to acknowledge same and credit the Govt of President John Dramani Mahama for his unprecedented Visionary leadership which saw many infrastructural and industrial projects springing up all over the Country.*

12. The public, Ekumfiman, members of the great NDC who are shocked at the attempt of this NPP Govt to throw dust into the eyes of Ghanaians are humbly urged to wait for *our impending press conference* to expose them for their deceit. Thank you.

Signed:

*Mr Edward Acquah (Fayah),*
*Constituency Secretary*
*(0244246883)*

*Mr Raymond Moore,*
*Deputy Communication Officer*
*(0201505888)*

Ekumfi District benefits from GH¢1.2m pineapple project

The Central Regional Minister, Mr Samuel Sarpong has launched a GH¢1.2 million organic Sugar-Loaf Pineapple growing project at Essarkyir in the Ekumfi District of the Central Region.

The project which is jointly sponsored by Japan and the Central Regional Development Commission (CEDECOM) is aimed at expanding and improving sugar-loaf pineapple cultivation in order to reduce poverty in the district.
The two-year project would assist 277 small holder- farmers in the district to cultivate one- acre pineapple farm each and also create access to export market.
The launch was on the theme: “Stimulating High Economic Growth through Pineapple Production.”

Mr Sarpong, who addressed a durbar of chiefs and people of the area, commended the Japan the constant support to Ghana and urged the beneficiaries to make maximum use of the funds provided to increase their products as well as improve upon their living standards.

He said the money is a revolving fund and so the beneficiaries should make sure it yields the needed profit for others to also profit from it.

Mr Sarpong also urged them to take advantage of the project to produce quality pineapples that would meet the international market standards.

Mr Edwin Nii Lantey Vanderpuye Deputy Minister of Trade and Industry said government has an agricultural base policy that aims at ensuring the production of the necessary raw materials to feed the nation’s industries.

He said pineapple cultivation would be given the necessary boost to increase production so as to meet local and international demands.

Mr Spencer Taylor Acting Executive Director of CEDECOM noted that pineapple growing has been identified as the pre-occupation and the life blood of the people of Ekumfi although the farmers are confronted with challenges which position them below the poverty line.

He said pineapple cultivation in the area is saddled with challenges including pest infestation and unavailability of market for the product, which leads to huge post- harvest losses and low pricing of the commodity.

Mr Taylor said the commission contributed GH¢200.00 towards the projects and that 10 communities would be beneficiaries of the project.

Mr Abeiku Crentsil Member of Parliament for Ekumfi Constituency commended CEDECOM for making provisions for the beneficiaries to retain 30 per cent of the revenue.

This he noted would help with the development of the area.
Mr Crentsil appealed to the government and civil society organisations to provide the area with a processing factory so as to help reduce post-harvest losses.
Safohen Nana Imprem VI, Acting President of Ekumfi Traditional Council, who presided over the event appealed for the reconstruction of the Otuam – Ekumfi road as well as some feeder roads in the District.

Ghanapoliticsonline.com