The Farmers and Settlers Association (FSA) has acknowledged the reshuffle of ministries, particularly Commerce and Industry, Coffee and Agriculture.
FSA President Wilson Thompson said, “On behalf of our members, starting with individuals, smallholders’ farmers, growers, blocks and plantations, processors and manufacturers, we congratulate new Ministers namely honourable William Bando, John Boito and Win Daki (to) be in the forefront to achieve economic targets and improve business prospects and improvements and propel economic growth.”
“The Prime Minister created six ministries out of Agriculture and Commerce but delivery has been a concern,” he said. “It has created more issues than results and the performance needs to upscale with the establishment of the National Agriculture and Commerce Council.”
“The appointment of Mr. Bando, Boito, and Daki with the background experience is welcoming.
“We must move away from artificial support such as price Support and grants and subsidies and revive blocks and plantations and farms and undertake more large-scale agriculture projects in the Markham, Ramu, Arona, Baiyer and Sepik Plains and move into more downstream processing, manufacturing and exports and import substitution activities. This will create the SME and employment and increased production and GDP, exports and foreign exchange,” said Mr. Thompson.
The FSA President stated, “The government through the ministers must make hard decisions to engage with peak industry bodies and the industry participants and appoint new Boards and Heads of Agencies on merit, capacity and performance that will contribute to the greater good and outcomes.