Paarigbiele 2024: “Revive Tumu Cotton Ginnery” – Tumu Kuoru to gov’t
By Araphat Dimah|Radford 107.5FM
The Paramount Chief of the Tumu Traditional Area, Kuoru Richard Babini Kanton VI has passionately called on government to revive the Tumu Cotton Ginnery.
During a grand durbar to climax the 2024 Paarigbiele Festival held today, March 23, 2024, Kuoru Richard Babini Kanton VI has underscored the significance of reviving the Tumu Cotton Ginnery, and highlighted its potential to provide direct and indirect jobs to thousands of youth and boost the economy of the area.
He has urged the government to prioritize funding for the revamp of the ginnery, emphasizing its importance in realizing the industrialization policy and creating sustainable livelihoods for the local population.
“Kuoru Chairman, Distinguished Ladies and Gentlemen, the revival of the Tumu Cotton Ginnery is dear to my heart because it has the potential of providing direct and indirect jobs to thousands of the youth and also help boost. the economy of the area. I therefore, wish to use this platform to once more remind government to find money to revamp the ginnery to give true meaning to its industrialization policy since it would be a very viable project.”
The festival, which marked its return after a three-year hiatus due to the COVID-19 pandemic, brought together dignitaries, regional officials, community leaders, and citizens to celebrate and reflect on the development and cultural heritage of the Sisaala people.
Addressing other pressing issues, Kuoru Richard Babini Kanton VI has raised concerns about the pricing of maize in the market, and highlighted the challenges faced by maize farmers who invest in expensive inputs but receive low prices for their produce.
He has therefore called on the government to institute a pricing policy for maize to prevent middlemen from exploiting farmers and to ensure fair compensation for their efforts.
Furthermore, Kuoru Richard Babini Kanton VI has appealed for the restoration of fertilizer subsidies for farmers to boost food production and support the local economy.
“Again Kuoru Chairman, in 2023, fertilizer subsidy which was enjoyed by farmers in thisarea was withdrawn by government and this affected the farmers because many of them could not afford to buy the fertilizer to apply to the crops and so if government could restore these subsidies and put in place measures to curb smuggling because it would go a long way to boost food production.
As if that was not enough, the prices being received by farmers for maize after investing in the expensive inputs is not only unfortunate but also a huge risk to maize production in this coming crop season. It is ridiculous to say the least, that farmers would buy fertilizers at 450 Ghana cedis per bag only to sell a bag of maize at between GHc280 to GHc300 Ghana cedis. Government needs to institute a pricing policy for maize because middlemen are taking undue advantage on farmers thereby making them poorer and if this trend continues without government’s intervention, the consequences could be dire.”
He has also called for urgent action to address the lack of a major dam for the Tumu Township and improve healthcare services in the area.
“Kuoru Chairman, Distinguished Ladies and Gentlemen, the lack of a major dam for the Tumu Township is a source of worry to me. The old dam which was constructed in the 1940s is now silted such that it can no longer hold enough water to meet the demands of the could out-grown give true population. meaning to In the view “one of village this, one I would dam” be policy extremely by providingglad if government people of Tumu Township with a dam for domestic and irrigation purposes.”
In a solemn moment, Kuoru Richard Babini Kanton VI has paid tribute to a prominent supporter of the festival, Mr. Eric Johnson aka Jirapa Dubai, who was tragically murdered earlier in the year.
He called on authorities to ensure that justice is served for the perpetrators of the heinous crime.