Navrongo Central NPP Chairman calls for jobs, better markets for farmers
NPP constituency chairman highlights unemployment, market challenges and youth empowerment as key areas requiring urgent attention in Navrongo Central.
The newly elected Chairman of the New Patriotic Party (NPP) in the Navrongo Central Constituency, Solomon Kovia Navanse, has identified youth unemployment, poor market access for farmers and inadequate support for small businesses as some of the key challenges confronting the constituency.
Speaking on the Big Mike Breakfast Show on Monday, July 13, Navanse said creating sustainable employment opportunities and empowering young people economically should remain a national priority.
“Jobs are the most important thing for the youth. Most of them need small capital to start businesses,” he said.
According to him, although many young people in the constituency are engaged in agriculture, they often struggle to find ready markets for their produce after harvest, making farming less profitable.
“When they farm and harvest their produce, it is not selling because there are no buyers. We should provide them with capital for businesses and create more jobs,” he stated.
Navanse also appealed to government to prioritise the completion of the Navrongo Youth Resource Centre, describing the project as a critical investment that could provide skills training and employment opportunities for the youth.
“They should continue the project. The Youth Resource Centre is one of the key facilities we should prioritise,” he added.
Touching on the government’s decision to distribute 1,500 bags of fertiliser to every agricultural constituency, the NPP chairman argued that the intervention alone would not significantly improve farmers’ livelihoods unless it was accompanied by measures to guarantee ready markets for agricultural produce.
“How many farmers in Navrongo will benefit from the 1,500 bags? Even if one bag is shared among several people, many still won’t get any,” he questioned.
He therefore urged the government to focus on creating reliable markets and ensuring farmers receive fair prices for their produce rather than relying solely on fertiliser distribution.
“They should open up the market and ensure people buy farmers’ produce. Farmers don’t need to fight over 1,500 bags of fertiliser,” he said.
Assessing the performance of the Member of Parliament for the constituency, Navanse rated him four out of ten, saying the score was intended as constructive criticism rather than a personal attack.
“Rating the MP four out of ten doesn’t mean I want to insult him. I want him to up his game. Navrongo needs development, and we need to help the youth get jobs,” he explained.
Navanse expressed confidence that with unity, effective grassroots mobilisation and policies that address the needs of young people and farmers, the NPP could reclaim the Navrongo Central parliamentary seat in the 2028 general elections.
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