The Tamale Metropolitan Assembly (TaMA) has received and distributed 9,000 50-kilogramme bags of NPK fertiliser and 1,000 bags of urea to selected farmers in the Metropolis to support agricultural production and improve food security.

Mr Adam Abubakari Takoro, Tamale Metropolitan Chief Executive, announced this in his sessional address at the Second Ordinary Meeting of the Third Session of the Ninth Assembly in Tamale.

He said agriculture remained a major driver of the national and local economy, stressing the need for sustained investment to make the sector more attractive, particularly to the youth.

Mr Takoro said the fertiliser distribution formed part of interventions by the Assembly to support farmers and enhance agricultural productivity in the Metropolis.

He also said quantities of birds would soon be received and distributed to households under the Government’s Nkokonkiti initiative.

He said the Assembly was among four Metropolitan, Municipal and District Assemblies in the Northern Region selected for an aquaculture pilot project under the Ministry of Fisheries and Aquaculture Development.

He said about 40 people from the Tamale South and Central constituencies had been selected to receive training, form cooperatives and receive support to establish fish farms.

Mr Takoro said the Assembly was also implementing measures to improve the environmental resilience of the Metropolis and mitigate the effects of climate change.

He said the Assembly targeted planting 150,000 trees under the Government’s Tree for Life initiative to help transform Tamale into a cleaner, greener and climate-resilient city.

He said the Northern Region was expected to plant about 1.2 million trees out of the national target of 30 million trees under the programme.

The Chief Executive said the Assembly, in collaboration with the Dibeni Premier Group, had also commenced the “Shade Dagbang Project” to increase tree cover along major streets, with 176 palm trees already planted along selected principal roads.

He said the Assembly was further implementing the Reset Tamale Initiative in collaboration with PAMEPI Women in Technology Ghana, focusing on climate resilience, water and sanitation, and educational infrastructure.

Mr Takoro, speaking on sanitation, described waste generation, evacuation and disposal as major concerns and encouraged Assembly Members to prioritise monthly National Sanitation Days in their electoral areas.

He said the Assembly would continue to strengthen social protection interventions, including support for persons with disabilities and the Livelihood Empowerment Against Poverty programme.

Mr Takoro highlighted ongoing development projects, including the construction of a 20-bed male ward at the West Hospital valued at GH¢1,812,087.24, and called for stronger collaboration among stakeholders to accelerate development in the Metropolis.