Founding President and Chief Executive Officer of IMANI Centre for Policy and Education, Franklin Cudjoe, has called for urgent food storage solutions to mitigate the effects of the severe drought currently affecting northern Ghana.
He emphasised that the nation can no longer afford to rely solely on rainfall for its agricultural needs, especially given the fragile state of the economy.
“Good morning, Dr. Mahamudu Bawumia there are reports of looming food shortages up north due to poor rains. May we be spared the harshest effect of the looming food crisis as the rains have failed up north. The agriculture, finance, and defence ministers are doing well to contain the situation. However, we should work harder not to depend on rains and build adequate storage for times like this. The economy and its inhabitants are too frail to take on another avoidable phenomenon,” he wrote on X.
Cudjoe’s call comes in the wake of reports of looming food shortages due to poor rainfall in the northern regions. He urged Vice President Dr Mahamudu Bawumia to provide an update on the One Village One Dam policy, which was championed as a key strategy to bolster irrigation systems across the country.
Also, in a Facebook post, Cudjoe questioned the effectiveness of the government’s interventions, stating, “The economy and its inhabitants are too frail to take on another avoidable phenomenon.” He recalled Bawumia’s vigorous promotion of the One Village One Dam initiative and asked, “May l know the status of these dams? When are we expecting them to kick in and help?”
The government has responded to the drought crisis by announcing plans to raise $500 million (GHS 8 billion) to support food security measures. Finance Minister Dr Mohammed Amin Adam revealed that this funding would be sourced from the Contingency Fund, Budget Realignment, and Development Partner Funding.
Dr Adam underscored the non-partisan nature of the crisis, stating, “Hunger knows no political affiliation. We have put in place stringent measures to ensure that these resources are distributed equitably to farmers most in need, throughout the country.”
He acknowledged that the government’s response might not fully neutralise the problem but assured that it would help stabilise the situation. “Our response certainly will help in stabilising the situation until we get out of the crisis,” Dr Adam added.
As the drought persists, the pressure mounts on the government to deliver on its promises, with the effectiveness of the One Village One Dam policy facing increasing scrutiny.