By Wilberforce Asare
Copyright asaaseradio
President John Dramani Mahama’s recent visit to the National Service Authority’s (NSA) Papao Farms stirred fresh hope for Ghana’s agricultural sector.
The president’s pledge to make the country self-sufficient in poultry production within the next three years was bold, inspiring, and widely welcomed. It directly addressed the pressing need to create jobs, reduce imports, and revitalize local agriculture.
However, behind the impressive progress on display at Papao Farms lies a story that cannot be overlooked, a story of continuity, vision, and the hard work of those who came before. The transformation of Papao Farms did not begin with President Mahama’s visit.
Under the guidance of the previous board led by Nii Odoi Tetteh Fio and the leadership of Osei Assibey Antwi, the NSA secured crucial funding through a partnership with the Mastercard Foundation, working in collaboration with Agri-Impact.
This funding, I must hint, provided financial muscle and technical support, laying the groundwork for the growth now being celebrated. Achieving this was no ordinary task. It required foresight, persistence, and the conviction that agriculture could be a powerful engine for national development.
Besides, acknowledging such efforts does not diminish President Mahama’s current vision. In fact, it strengthens it. Leadership is not a race where the baton is snatched from the other but a relay where progress is achieved when one leader builds upon the foundation laid by another.
Statesmanship demands recognising that truth. Indeed, the immediate past Director-General of the NSA, Felix Gyamfi, knew this and set an example worth emulating. In honour of Osei Assibey Antwi’s contributions, he named one of the farm’s blocks after him, a symbolic but powerful gesture that celebrates continuity and reminds us of the value of institutional memory. When we recognise the work of those who came before us, we inspire those who will follow to give their best.
Acknowledgement
This is why President Mahama’s omission, though perhaps unintentional, was significant. A simple acknowledgement of Nii Odoi Tetteh Fio and his board, as well as Hon. Osei Assibey Antwi and his management team’s efforts, would have sent a powerful, unifying message: that governance is about Ghana first, not partisan divisions.
In any case, I recall that the previous administration inherited the initiative and did not hesitate to acknowledge the foundational pillars laid before them. It would have underscored fairness, humility, and the spirit of collective progress.
Let me reiterate that as Papao Farms continues to grow, one truth remains clear: Ghana’s development is a shared project. It is not the work of a single administration, but the legacy of many.
Our leaders owe it to the nation to rise above rivalry, embrace fairness, and build together. That is the true test of statesmanship.
Samuel Damte
Former National Service Personnel (NSP), Ho
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