Ghana’s agric sector benefited the most under the Millennium Challenge Compact 1,this is according to President John Mahama.
‘The first compact, by all measures, brought a transformational change in the agricultural landscape of Ghana. It also represented a refreshingly new strategy for the transformation of agriculture in Ghana.’
Under the first compact thousands of farmers were provided with agricultural credit worth $23.1 million.
According to Prez Mahama ‘the achievements and success of the first compact include 66,930 farmer received training in commercial agricultural practices, enhancing their productivity and skills. Four irrigation schemes were rehabilitated, providing irrigation to 2,435 hectares of agricultural farmlands. Twenty post-harvest facilities were constructed, providing storage so crops would not get spoiled in the field’.
Speaking after the signing of the second compact in Washington President Mahama said the first compact also benefited the education sector as well as road infrastructure.
‘Many roads, including the now famous George Bush Highway, were constructed, and 44 school blocks were fully rehabilitated while 206 new school blocks were constructed, totaling 250.’
He adds that the country’s rural banking industry was also a big beneficiary of the first compact.
‘All rural banks in Ghana and their agencies were interconnected and computerized and automated, provided with generators, computers, and wide area networks.
The first compact ended on June 30th, 2012.
Yesterday President Mahama signed the second compact in Washington.
The second compact focuses on Ghana’s energy sector which has been facing some challenges for years now.
According to Prez Mahama focusing on the energy sector is a move in the right direction.
‘Ghana is currently experiencing challenges with energy availability, sufficiency, and reliability, and so it was only logical that this new compact would focus on the energy sector’.
By: Vivian Kai Mensah/citifmonline/Ghana/Washington