By: K. Adade
On Tuesday, March 12, the Artisanal Palm Oil Millers and Outgrowers Association of Ghana officially launched its one million outgrower seedling project under the theme: “Promoting a sustainable Oil Palm Industry.”
0The event which was held at Akyem-Asuom saw the attendance of the representative from Solidaridad, representatives from Kwaebibirim Rural Bank, Mr. Selorm Quame — Executive Secretary of Oil Palm Development Association of Ghana, C.E.O of Ghana Buffer Stock Company Limited, Mr. Hanan Abdul-Wahab and Asuomhene, Osabarima Ofosuhene Appenteng II as chair of the occasion.
Osabarima Ofosushene urged the people of his community and extensively, the general Ghanaian society to embrace the project and vision of the association.
The Guest of Honour for the event, Mr. Hanan Abdul-Wahab, Chief Executive Officer of the Ghana Buffer Stock Company Limited in his address expressed, “I am very optimistic we will go international very soon because, a lot of African countries are here to learn from us on the Free Senior High School and the feeding component in it.”
Addressing the people at the event, Mr. Hanan expressed how impressed he was, after witnessing the production and processing of the palm oil. “I have no single regret for giving this region the opportunity to supply palm oil nationwide, he added.” He further admonished the Artisanal group for demonstrating a gross export potential.
The Chief Executive Officer of Buffer Stock also injected hope to the six thousand (6,000) registered members of the association by means of contracting the Artisanal Palm Oil Millers and Outgrowers Association of Ghana to be the major suppliers of palm oil to the various Senior High Schools across the country as a means sustaining the Free Senior High School initiative.
The enthused members of the association together with the leadership were also charged to ensure high safety and security features in the production process and to also increase their supply rate.
Mr. Hanan Abdul-Wahab added that, the Government is willing to support in marketing of their product since it is their responsibility to help processors find a market for their produce and the only reliable market the government has identified is the Free Senior High school of which the president is very impressed.
Mr. Hanan Abdul-Wahab also recounted how the Executive Secretary of the Artisanal Palm Oil Millers and Outgrowers Association of Ghana, Mr. Paul Kwabena Amaning aided the Free Senior Senior initiative in challenging times, by producing quality and a large quantity of palm oil during the early stages of the initiative.
The Executive Secretary of the Artisanal Palm Oil Millers and Outgrowers Association in response, also acknowledged and assured the general public of a double up of their rate of supply to 1950 metric tonnes per annum by the year 2020 to the various Senior High Schools, compared to their current consumption of 1,500 metric tonnes per annum.
Paul Amaning, the Executive Chairman of the Association on his side explained that their motive as an association is to make palm oil one of the leading commodities in Ghana and for them to make the vision a reality, they have decided to assist all the sectors including the farmers to supply them with seedlings.
In disbursing the seedlings to the farmers, he indicated that it will be done through the association’s local executives, saying that, one could get some of the seed if only he or she is a registered member and pays dues.
He further called for the intervention of government and other stakeholders to assist them with the right technology, believing that, they could increase supply to 1,950 metric tonnes per year at full implementation by the help of the government intervention of helping the association with the modern technologies and by the help of other important stakeholders in the oil palm industry.
