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The Savannah Accelerated Development Authority (SADA) is to support the Ministry of Food and Agriculture (MOFA), to recruit more Agriculture Extension officers to work for the Authority. This is because SADA is short of extension officers at the ecological zones where the programme is being implemented. The Director of SADA in charge of integrated programmes, Dr Emmanuel Abeere-Inga, announced this at a briefing organised by the Northern Patriots in Research and Advocacy (NORPRA) to outline opportunities that exist under SADA for the students in Bolgatanga. He said that the lack of Agriculture Extension Officers in these areas was affecting the implementation of the Agriculture Mechanization component of SADA. Dr Abeere-Inga said SADA would pay salary to the officers for five years after which it would hand over the responsibility to MOFA. He said as from next year, SADA would train national service personnel from tertiary institutions in trade, industrialization and business management. Dr Abeere-Inga said SADA would support them to establish companies instead of relying on the government sector for employment. He said SADA was working to bridge the poverty gap between the north and the south parts of Ghana. Dr Abeere-Inga asked the general public to point out shortfalls in the implementation of SADA. He said last year, SADA helped some head porters (Kayaye) to go into butter nut farming in the Northern and Upper West Regions, and the produce was exported. Dr Abeere-Inga another batch of head porters were helped to acquire skills in artisanship to enable them to set up their businesses. He said SADA would this farming season support rice farmers in the Fumbisi Valley. Dr Abeere-Inga said plans were far advanced by SADA, the Volta River Authority and the World Bank to develop the Pwalugu dam into an irrigation scheme and hydro electric project . Mrs Bismark Ayorogo Adongo, president of NORPRA, commended SADA for the briefing, and asked students to take advantage of SADA initiatives and develop their talents.