By Rebecca Asheley Amarh
Accra, Nov. 12, GNA — The Ghana National Farmers and Fishers Association (GNAFF) says it has recruited 34,000 new members in November alone, as part of efforts to expand its membership base and strengthen its operations nationwide.
The association is targeting to have two million members by the end of December, Mr Francis Tetteh Opai, its President, has said.
He disclosed this in an interview with the Ghana News Agency (GNA) during a clean-up exercise undertaken by the association at the premises of the Ghana Broadcasting Corporation (GBC) in Accra, as part of activities marking its 34th anniversary.
Mr Opai said the association had introduced a mobile application to support its membership drive, combining digital and manual recruitment methods to reach more farmers and fishers across the country.
He also announced plans to relaunch the association, unveil a new multipurpose website, introduce new membership cards, and provide each region with a motorbike to strengthen its operations.
“If that happens, every region will be given a motorbike, and we are going to make people see GNAFF, smell GNAFF and taste GNAFF again,” he said.
Mr Opai said the clean-up exercise was also an expression of appreciation to GBC and its affiliate stations for their longstanding relationship and support for the association.
He said the exercise was intended to strengthen the relationship between the two institutions.
He, however, expressed concern about what he described as inadequate coverage of agricultural issues in GBC’s programmes, saying the corporation could do more to promote the interests of farmers and fishers.
He noted that although GBC had programmes covering areas such as adult education, cooking, sports and lifestyle, it lacked dedicated programmes on agriculture.
Citing the 2021 Population and Housing Census, Mr Opai said about 32 per cent of Ghana’s population was engaged in agriculture, fisheries and forestry, making the sector important enough to receive greater media attention.
He appealed to GBC’s management to introduce dedicated agricultural programmes to provide farmers and fishers with relevant information, education, and opportunities to promote their activities.
Mr Opai urged members of the association to remain committed to its growth and work collectively to improve the welfare of farmers and fishers across the country.
GNA
Edited by Laudia Anyorkor Nunoo/Kenneth Odeng Adade
Reporter: Rebecca Asheley Amarh, GNA