Bernard Mornah who could not fathom the reasons for the Savanna Accelerated Development Authority (SADA) to invest hugely in its Guinea Fowl Project, wondered why government would venture into that field of business.
The Savanna Accelerated Development Authority (SADA) revealed its activities for the year 2012.
SADA disclosed to the Select Committee on Finance that it expended an amount of GH¢91,249,000 on its activities last year. Out of this figure, its operation expenses amounted to GH¢20,029,000 while the remaining GH¢71,220,000 was invested in various projects some of which include Guinea Fowl, Agricultural Input Support, Afforestation, Key Human Development, Roads and Highways and Tractors.
It indicated that GH¢12,000,000 was invested in the rearing of guinea fowls while GH¢33,000,000 went into its Afforestation project.
This disclosure was vividly sliced into pieces in discussions held in the House of Parliament yesterday when three Members of Parliament (MPs); Alexander Kwamena Afenyo-Markin, MP for Effutu constituency, Majority Chief Whip, Mohammed Muntaka Mubarak and Minority leader, Dominic Nitiwul clashed over the subject.
Contributing to a debate on the 2013 Budget Estimates of the Office of Government Machinery, the Effutu MP told the house that the SADA's investments in the year 2012 should have been presented before Parliament for scrutiny while Mr. Afenyo-Markin called for a second look into the investments in order to clear off the distortions associated with it.
This notwithstanding, the PNC General Secretary speaking on Oman FM on Wednesday, noted that guinea fowl business in the nation would not reap huge benefits for the country due to the complexities involved in raising the fowls, and therefore called on government to rather invest in the rearing of sheep.
To him, sheep rearing is much lucrative than investing huge sums of money in raising guinea fowls which he stated are very “fragile and vulnerable” and a difficult business venture.
He blurted out the complications involved in guinea fowl farming, saying “The guinea fowl is very, very fragile and vulnerable. So, if you don’t know this and you buy in bulk. If you don’t take care, half of it will not survive because it’s very difficult to raise guinea fowl.”
He explained that animal husbandry, particularly sheep, would generate much benefit for the country if only government would consider it at the expense of the guinea fowls, SADA is investing in.
“I’m just asking why we didn’t opt for the rearing of sheep rather than the guinea fowl. Guinea fowl, what is the market?”
He also admonished the Select Committee on Finance to delve deep into the exact details of the investments made by the Savannah Accelerated Development Authority.
According to him, the Authority should come clear on the specifics of its investments in order to deaden the controversies that have arisen as a result of the disclosure.
“Ghanaians can go to Burkina Faso and other countries to go and buy sheep in particular. Particularly, the Muslim community…I think that SADA will do us good if they show us. The trees that they are growing too, where are they putting up the trees? What quantity have they germinated?” he demanded.
Source: Ameyaw Adu Gyamfi/Peacefmonline.com/Ghana
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