General Secretary of the CPP, Nana Yaa Akyempem Jantuah, has stated that the ‘Planting for food and jobs’ initiative set up by President Akuffo Addo and his government has not been effective.
She mentioned that there has been a shortage of local rice in Ghana, and if the President had actually put in place measures for import substitution by placing a ban on the importation of rice, then the production of local rice must be high.
“The production is not enough to feed the market, and as a result we do not see how helpful the Planting for Food and Jobs initiative is to us. Therefore, I urge the minister to see to it that the Planting for Food and Jobs initiative becomes effective, so that it can help us.”
Nana Yaa Jantuah
She noted that if the initiative is not effective then it has no use, adding that the Agric sector has linked the failure of the initiative to the high cost of fertilizer.
She said that the government has no plan for the production of local rice hence, the shortage. Nana Yaa Akyempem Jantuah added that there is no data to even indicate the number of people who consume local rice.
She noted that the government did not listen when her party gave suggestions on how to solve the current economic issues.
“We said that government had to consider its borrowings and its debt stock, it should form an economic dialogue… they told us it wasn’t important. Till date, they are still saying it’s not important and we keep going down. What will we say for them to listen to us?”
Nana Yaa Janutuah
She recommended that the government has to concentrate on agriculture instead of concentrating on other things.
Government Invests In Billboards Instead Of Food
Meanwhile, a member of the NDC Communications Team, Anim Piesie, accused the government of investing more into billboards instead of channeling its resources into the agricultural sector to foster the planting of more food.
He mentioned that there has not been much progress since the Agric Minister came into office and that, the policies on cocoa that were motivative enough during the regime of the past government have now been cancelled by the ruling government.
“Today, how much is the projection on cocoa production? From 963,000 metric tons to about 600 metric tons at present, how will Ghana get money to keep in our foreign reserve? This is part of the reasons why we are suffering.”
Anim Piesie
According to him, Africa is known to have difficulties relating to matters of food production and acquisition and it receives food aid from the West from time to time, adding that what most war-torn nations’ produce is cheaper than that of Ghana.
“Most of the poultry farms that were in the then Brong Ahafo Region have collapsed because it was difficult to get corn to feed the hens.”
Anim Piesie
Eggs are being imported from China to feed the Free SHS students, he bemoaned, adding that it was demotivating and discouraging, and the situation is getting emotional.
READ ALSO: We Expect The 2023 Budget To Have Realistic Targets – Tesah Capital
