The Jirapa Municipal Director of Agriculture, Joseph Kambunaba has said that this year, 2024 is an importantly significant year in the democratic life of Ghana alluring to fact that there would be a new president after the December 7 polls and is attracting significant attention.
He also noted that perennial occurrences such as bush fires in the dry seasons which is of equal importance should not be pushed aside especially that some farmlands still have food crops that are yet to be harvested, especially rice fields, lie under the threat of bushfires.
These were corroborated by Jirapa Municipal Crops Officer of the Department of Agric, Augustine Bichamabor who said crop fields have over the years been devastated by bushfires and accounts for a large amount of post harvest losses in the municipality.
He recalls the destruction of farm produce last year around this time of the year where maize farms, rice fields and some cashew plantations in large acreage were laid to waste due to bushfires and that some of the farmers, especially those who contracted loan facilities to invest in these ventures, are yet to recover from their loses.
Kambunaba is therefore calling for intensified public education and sensitization amongst collaborative agencies such as the Department of Agriculture, National Disaster Management organization, the Ghana National Fire Service and indeed everyone to work towards minimizing not only bush fires but domestic fires, in spite of the upcoming elections.
He made these known on the sidelines of the Jirapa Municipal edition of the 2024 National Farmers and Fishers Day celebration held at Nambeg, a suburb of Jirapa in the Upper West Region, held in honour of deserving farmers where they are recognized awarded in various categories on the 8th of November, 2024.
In his in his acceptance and introductory speech, the chairman for the occasion who happens to be the Paramount Chief of the Jirapa Traditional Area, Naa Dinaa Donglabong III welcomed all who were able to patronize the occasion.
He paid special tribute to the organizers and importantly the award winners for a great job done urging others, especially the youth, to take agriculture to be a livelihood underscoring its importance in sustaining life.
In his keynote address, Jirapa Municipal Chief Executive, Hon. Nicholas Soyiri also took his turn to eulogies the award winners.
He took time enumerate a number of government interventions in the agric sector, such as the Planting for Food and Jobs policy, distribution of farm inputs such as fertilizers and agro chemicals and the improvement of the road network in the municipality that has accounted for the increase in food and animal production in the Jirapa Municipality.
Hon. Soyiri also took the opportunity to appeal for a peaceful election in the upcoming December polls and called on voters to vote for continuity of government’s flagship programmes and projects.
Dignitaries who graced the occasion include traditional rulers, departmental heads of government agencies Non-governmental organizations and heads of all security outfits.
A health screening exercise was organized by the Municipal Health Directorate with the municipal Police command and Immigration service providing security alongside the National Ambulance Service supporting with emergency services.
At the ceremony, Ansoanuur Naaba came up tops as overall Best Farmer receiving a tricycle, knapsack cutlasses a certificate among other prizes.
The first runner-up, Alhasan Allabani Kantam from Chapuri was awarded with with a certificate, motorcycle, knapsack, wellington boots and fertilizer among other prizes.
Amatus Zange from Hain came up third place, receiving a certificate, double-door refrigerator, knapsack, wellington boots, a radio set among other prizes.
Some other awardees were Best Agric Worker, Augustine Bichamabor; Best Crop Farmer, Jude Korbieh; Best Livestock Farmer, Kuubataazie Nwinbasogra; Best Vegetable Farmer, Salia Dari, all in their respective categories received an award package of a certificate, television set, knapsacks, wellington boots, weedicides among other prizes.
Yelkoro Labusi from Naale was adjudged the Best Female Farmer and she took home a certificate, a bicycle, knapsack, cutlasses, wellington boots, bars of keysoap and weedicides. 
There were other prizes awarded and the awardees took home certificates, bicycles, knapsacks radio sets among other awards.
Some partners in Agric in the municipality such as Actionaid Ghana, MOAP and JIFAN SELFHELP which work with individuals and groups also made some presentations consisting of certificates, citations, seed planters, fertilizers among others.
The Deputy Chief Executive Officer of the Zongo Development Authority and New Patriotic Party parliamentary candidate for the Jirapa Constituency, Hajia Aisha Salifu made a donation of bags of fertilizers to all award winners in what she called her humble donation.
There was an exhibition of some exotic livestock and food products.
The overall conduct of the ceremony was satisfactory devoid of any mishap.
