The Paramount Chief and President of Afife Traditional Council, Torgbui Adrakpanya VI, has asked the government to upgrade the Ohawu Agricultural College (OAC) to a fully-fledged University.

He said an agricultural University would enhance the training of students to provide the needed human resource base in the sector, increase production, add value to produce and sustain the interest of the youth in the government's policy on planting for food and jobs.

Torgbui Adrakpanya made the request during a durbar of Chiefs and people in honour of President Akufo-Addo at Afife in the Ketu North Municipality of the Volta Region as part of a tour of the area by the President.

He said that OAC established 58 years ago was the only institution of higher learning after Akatsi College of Education in the southern part of the region.

He said, "This institution attached to crop and soil research stations is critical for the development of the area since the majority of the people are predominantly farmers."

Torgbui Adrakpanya appealed to the President to facilitate the construction of the deplorable roads at Afife and Tadzewu, especially the ones that link Afife Senior High Technical School and Afife Health Centre.

He said the Traditional Council had donated 4.5-acre land to the President as a token of appreciation of his visionary and sterling leadership style, which had brought respite to the population and greater laurels to the country.

Torgbui Adrakpanya entreated the President to build a retirement palace for himself on the parcel of land after his tenure and to settle at Afife.

He said the Afife area had seen multiple benefits from the policies, programmes and projects of the government, including school blocks, and health centre

Torgbui Adrakpanya was grateful to the President for the appointment of Mr Pius Enam Hadzide as the Deputy Information Minister and appealed to the President to appoint more people from the traditional area in his second term.

"We pray for your re-election as President of Ghana to continue your development agenda while promising their support."

President Akufo-Addo on his part said there were plans to upgrade the OAC.

Minister of Food and Agriculture, Dr Owusu Afriyie Akoto said the government was working to turn Ohawu, Kwadaso and Odwira Agriculture Colleges into Universities to champion the transformation in the sector.

He said the proposal was receiving attention from some partners in the Czech Republic and reassured the chiefs that the request would come to pass.