pMOFA to support JHS leaver manufacture agric implementsThe Ministry of Agriculture (MOFA) has expressed interest to support Mr Jacob Avogo, a Junior High School (JHS) leaver in Bolgatanga in the Upper East Region, who has started manufacturing agriculture implements to aid farming activities.
In spite of the challenges that the JHS leaver who is now 35 years old had not got the required and the standard tools and workshop, he had been able to manufacture different tractor trailers, including drilling machines for the construction of mechanised bores.
This came to light when a team, tasked by the Minister of Food and Agriculture, Dr Owusu Afriyie Akoto visited the workshop of Mr Avogo on Saturday at Yikine, near Bolgatanga to inspect the work of the JHS leaver and submit proposal for support.
They were Upper East Regional Minister, Ms Paulina Patience Abayage, the Regional Director of the Department of Agriculture, Mr Francis Ennor and the Regional Engineer of Agriculture, Mr Godwin Akuliya.
The regional minister, who was taken aback by the distinguished and unique nature of the manufacturing works of Mr Avogo, especially the tractor trailers and the borehole drilling machines, underscored the need for MOFA and other stakeholders to support him.
With the intending support, the regional minister expressed optimism that it would help him to expand his work scope and to employ more of the teaming youth in the region.
She charged the Regional Director of the Department of Agriculture, Mr Ennor and the Regional Engineer, Mr Akuliya to help Mr Avogo develop a proposal to MOFA for consideration as demanded by the sector minister.
She promised to do all within her means to support the JHS school leaver realise the full potentials of his dream, adding that with the government’s intention of constructing the Pwalugu multipurpose dam coupled with the creation of new regions, Mr Avogo stands to benefit a lot.
The Regional Director of Agriculture stated that with the diversification of agriculture, what was needed most was planters, harvesters, trailers, simple fertiliser application and spraying tools, stressing that the JHS leaver had demonstrated that he could invent all the agriculture tools, if given the necessary support.
Mr Avogo who had named his company as ‘Growing Africa’ said he had a lot of plans in the areas of agriculture on the drawing board and would only be able to execute them when supported.
FROM SAMUEL AKAPULE, BOLGATANGA
