A prominent media personality, Nana Aba Anamoah, has responded to a post on twitter in which a flagbearer hopeful of the New Patriotic Party (NPP), Dr. Afriyie Akoto, expressed his belief that he is the right candidate to lead the party in the 2024 general elections and break the eight-year term pattern in office.
The post shared by broadcaster Serwaa Amihere, Dr. Afryie Akoto was quoted as saying, “I am capable of breaking the 8 in the 2024 election.”
Nana Aba Anamoah, in a sarcastic comment, suggested that Dr. Afriyie Akoto is not as likely to break an “8” as the Presbyterian Boys Secondary School (PRESEC), which recently won its eighth trophy in the National Science and Maths Quiz.
“He [Afriyie Akoto] is not PRESEC to break any 8.”
Nana Aba Anamoah’s comment humorously juxtaposed Dr. Afriyie Akoto’s political ambitions with PRESEC’s achievement.
The NPP primaries are scheduled for November 4, 2023, with four candidates vying for the presidential slot: Vice President Dr. Mahamudu Bawumia, MP for Assin Central Kennedy Agyapong, former MP for Mampong Francis Addai-Nimoh, and former Minister of Agriculture Dr. Owusu Akoto Afriyie.
I’m capable of breaking the 8 in election 2024 – Dr Afriyie Akoto
The New Patriotic Party (NPP), founded on July 28, 1992, has produced three flagbearers since its creation.
The centre-right and liberal conservative party in Ghana with the symbol of an African elephant has, however, held six elections to select its flagbearer.
During the 1992 Congress, the NPP elected Albert Adu Boahen as its first-ever flagbearer. He garnered 1,121 votes, representing 56.60 percent of the total votes cast.
He competed against five others, namely: Dr. Dsane Selby, John Agyekum Kufuor, Dr. Safo-Adu, J.A Addison, John Kwame Koduah. Peter Ala Adjetey who announced his presidential ambition, did not contest as he withdrew from the race.
Boahen lost to the National Democratic Congress’ (NDC) Jerry Rawlings, but received 30.4% of the votes cast.
In 1996 and 1998, the NPP held another congress. Six individuals contested in both congresses, and John Agyekum Kufuor emerged victor in both with 1,034 votes (51.99%) and 1,286 votes (64.60%) respectively.
In his second attempt, Kufuor contested against Albert Adu-Boahen, J.H Mensah, Dr. Jones Ofori-Atta, Dr. Kwame Safo Adu and Dr. Dsane Selby.
During the 1998 congress ahead of the 2000 general elections, Kufuor stood against Kofi Apraku, Mr Kwame Kodua, Malik Alhassan Yakubu and Joseph Henry Mensah.
No individual stood against John Kufuor ahead of the 2004 general elections as he sought to retain his seat after his 2000 general election victory.
John Agyekum Kufuor
Prior to the 2008 general elections, a super delegates conference was convened to streamline the seventeen aspirants who had thrown their hats into the ring.
The list of contenders included notable figures such as Mr. Yaw Osafo-Maafo, Mr. Kwabena Agyepong, Professor Mike Oquaye (a former Speaker of Parliament), Mr. Hackman Owusu-Agyeman, Dr. Barfuor Adjei-Barwuah, Mr. Jake Otanka Obetsebi-Lamptey, Mr. Daniel Kweku Botwe, Mr. Alan John Kyerematen, Dr. Kofi Konadu Apraku, Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo (the current President of Ghana), Papa Owusu Ankomah, Mr. Boakye Kyeremanteng Agyarko, Dr. Kobina Arthur Kennedy, Prof. Kwabena Frimpong-Boateng, Alhaji Aliu Mahama (then Vice President), Dr. Kwame Addo Kufuor, and Mr. Felix Kwesi Owusu-Adjapong.
The super delegates conference involved 2,326 delegates representing the 230 constituencies. Of these votes, 2,285 were deemed valid, while 8 were rejected.
Alan Kyerematen and Nana Akufo-Addo
Ultimately, Nana Akufo-Addo emerged as the frontrunner with 1,096 votes, accounting for 47.9% of the total votes cast.
The NPP held its congress in 2010 to determine who leads the party ahead of the 2012 general elections. The number of aspirants dropped drastically. Five contenders stood. Nana Akufo-Addo, Frimpong-Boateng, Alan Kyerematen, Isaac Osei and John Kwame Kudua slugged it out.
Nana Akufo-Addo once again took the lead and was elected NPP’s flagbearer with 83,517 votes, representing 78.89% of the votes cast.
Akufo-Addo lost the 2012 presidential race to another NDC presidential aspirant, John Dramani Mahama who was vice to Atta Mills during his administration.
Prior to the 2016 general elections. Only three candidates competed this time. Francis Addai Nimoh, Nana Akufo-Addo and Alan Kyerematen competed.
After voting, Nana Akufo-Addo, secured 117, 413 votes, representing 94.35 per cent to become flagbearer.
This time around, the NPP’s flagbearer, Nana Akufo-Addo, won the 2016 general elections. He beat John Dramani Mahama.
In 2020, Nana Akufo-Addo went unopposed as he sought to retain his seat, which he did by beating John Mahama.
Mahama and Akufo-Addo
Now, the NPP is yet to elect its flagbearer for the 2024 general elections.
The NPP held its second superdelegates conference on Saturday, August 26, to trim down the number of its aspirants from 10 to 5.
On the ballot, Member of Parliament for Assin Central, Kennedy Agyapong appeared first, followed by former Trade Minister Alan Kyerematen in the second position. Essikado-Ketan MP Joe Ghartey came in at number three, Energy Expert Kwadwo Poku at number four, and Dr Afriyie Akoto, former Minister for Food and Agriculture took the fifth position.
10 NPP presidential aspirants
Also, former NPP General Secretary Kwabena Agyei Agyepong was sixth on the ballot, Former member of Parliament for Mampong Constituency Addai-Nimo took the seventh slot, followed by former Trade Minister Dr. Kofi Konadu Apraku at number eight. Mr. Kyerematen Agyarko, a former Energy Minister, was number nine and lastly, the Vice President, Dr Mahamudu Bawumia at number 10.
Following the conference, some individuals such as Alan Kyerematen and Boakye Agyarko stepped down from the race.
Four aspirants remain and they will slug it out at the party’s primaries to be held on November 4.
The candidates are Vice President Dr Bawumia, Kennedy Agyapong, Dr Afriyie Akoto and Addai-Nimo.
Ashanti regional Chairman for the New Patriotic Party (NPP), Bernard Antwi Boasiako, also known as Chairman Wontumi, has described what it would mean if NPP flagbearer hopeful and former Agric Minister, Dr Owusu Afriyie Akoto, should he contest in the upcoming presidential primaries.
Speaking in an interview with Paul Adom Otchere after Saturday’s Super Delegates Conference, he noted that the outcome of the August 26 elections is a testament to his fate in the November 4, 2023, presidential primaries.
He acknowledged that Dr Afriyie Akoto has been in the party for long and congratulated him for taking the fourth spot, however, that’s not a guarantee for more votes in the primaries.
“He’s someone who has been in the system from 1998, 2007 and I know him very well and for ending up as the fourth candidate in the race, I congratulate him.
“He has done well but to me if you see his numbers and compare that with that of Dr Bawumia, if you’re not careful and you want to move further, it will be a political remedial or political school fees because what has happened now cuts across,” he noted.
Mr Wontumi’s comment follows the aftermath of the Super Delegates Conference, where Dr Afriyie Akoto took the fourth spot after the results were declared.
The Super Delegates Conference, a pivotal event in the NPP’s political calendar, provided a platform for candidates to showcase their appeal among the party’s influential members.
As the votes were tallied on the Saturday August 26, 2023, the numbers painted a challenging picture for Dr Afriyie Akoto, with his vote count falling short of expectations.
At the end of the race, he polled 36 out of the total votes cast.
It is in view of this that the Chairman has advised Dr Akoto to rescind his decision to contest in the November 4, 2023, elections.
“He’s someone who has been in the system from 1998, 2007 and I know him very well and for ending up as the fourth candidate in the race, I congratulate him. He has done well but to me if you see the numbers
After the elections Dr Mahamudu Bawumia emerged the candidate with the highest votes winning over 60%.
He amassed 629 total votes at the end of the election, representing 68.15% of the votes.
Assin Central MP Kennedy Agyapong came in second with 132 votes, or 14.30% while former Trade Minister Alan Kyerematen placed third with 95 votes, or 10.29%.
The result is an indication that Mr Kyeremanten together with five other candidates qualified for the next round.
Former National Organizer of the New Patriotic Party (NPP), Sammi Awuku, has called on flagbearer contender Dr Afriyie Akoto to provide the public with a list of contractors who, in his view, are not receiving payment from the government.
Sammi Awuku expressed his astonishment at the remarks made by the ex-Minister of Food and Agriculture, in which he alleged that the government was neglecting contractors who have openly shown their allegiance to him.
His statement follows Dr Afriyie Akoto’s comments in which he criticized the government for failing to compensate contractors who are recognized for backing his aspiration as the prospective flagbearer of the NPP.
Speaking in an interview with Oyerepa TV on Wednesday, August 23, 2023, the former National Organizer of the NPP challenged Dr Afriyie Akoto to release the list of contractors who have not been paid for declaring support for him.
“When it comes to campaign issues of this sort, it is beyond me. First of all, I don’t know the particular contractors. secondly, I don’t work at the Ministry of Finance. I don’t want to believe Dr. Afriyie Akoto said that [ gov’t not saying contractors supporting him]. I don’t have knowledge about what he said. I can’t verify that there are contractors who are not being paid because of him.
“In any case, do we have a list of Dr. Afriyie Akoto’s contractors? or a list of Kennedy Agyapong or Dr. Bawumia’s contractors? So I want to see the list and follow up to find out why there are contractors for Alan, Dr. Bawumia, or Dr. Afriyie Akoto who have not been paid. With this, I am unable to find out because I don’t know where to tackle it. So maybe when I meet my uncle, Dr. Afriyie Akoto, I will ask for the details of the contractors and follow up with him. Once again, I do not want to believe he ever said that,” Sammi Awuku said in Twi on Oyerepa TV.
Background
Former Minister of Food and Agriculture, Dr Owusu Afriyie Akoto New Patriotic Party (NPP) flagbearer hopeful, Dr Owusu Afriyie Akoto, has slammed the leadership of the party for failing to get a grip of happenings in the race to choose the party’s presidential candidate for 2024 elections.
Speaking in a JoyNews interview, Dr Afriyie Akoto, a former Minister of Food and Agriculture, accused the party’s leadership of being partial in dealing with persons flouting the roles of the party; adding that the happenings in the campaign for the primaries tells that there is no discipline in the NPP.
He said that while top officials of the party and the government are declaring their support for a certain contender without consequences, persons declaring their support for him and the other candidates are being punished.
He alleged the contractors who are declaring their support for some of the candidates in the race are being denied payment.
“There is some sort of force being used – intimidation… those contractors who do not seem to be for this candidate are not paid when they complete their jobs. And they have taken huge sums of money from the banks and the interest rates are 35%, 40%. They are not paid and are being punished for supporting someone else.”
“But if somebody has done a job or a contract with the government, and they are not paid, while those who declare for that particular candidate are paid,” he said.
Founding Fathers of the New Patriotic Party (NPP) in the Ashanti Region have denied the claims suggesting their endorsement of Dr. Afriyie Owusu Akoto, a presidential contender.
Recent media reports stated that the ex-Minister of Food and Agriculture had secured the support of the NPP’s founding figures earlier this week.
“The six are NPP founding fathers.” They were among those who helped create the party in 1992. They informed me that they would like to interact with me whenever I visited the Ashanti Region. They arrived as promised, and following our conversation, they offered their support for me. They probed me and asked about my vision for Ghana and the party.
They believed in my ideas and said I was still the greatest choice to represent the NPP. They stated that I have proved that I am a results-oriented individual capable of leading the party in the 2024 general elections,” Dr Afriyie Akoto is said to have stated in response to the gesture.
But in a statement dated August 7, the Chairman of the Founding Fathers, Kofi Obiri Yeboah, noted that as custodians of the party, they have not “openly declared support for any one particular candidate.”
“We therefore find that news item unfortunate, and we refute it as untrue,” the statement added.
Meanwhile, the Founding Fathers have called on Dr. Akoto to retract his statement with the urgency it deserves.
Ashanti NPP Founding Fathers on endorsement of Dr Afriyie Akoto
A potential contender in the New Patriotic Party (NPP) presidential primaries has conveyed appreciation for the endorsement received from six out of the seven remaining Founding Fathers of the NPP in the Ashanti Region.
The ex-minister of agriculture emphasises that the endorsement carries significant meaning for him.
Six founding fathers have collectively endorsed Dr Owusu Afriyie Akoto as the most suitable candidate to maintain the party’s position in power. They committed their backing to Dr. Akoto during a courtesy visit to his residence in Danyame on Saturday, August 5, 2023.
Among the members are Kofi Obiri Yeboah Akwasi, Chairman, Gyeabour Asante, William Asafu-Agyei, George Appiah, Nicholas Kofi Nyantakyi and Peter Kwabena Anokye.
They were led by their Chairman, Kofi Obiri Yeboah.
The Founding Fathers of the UP tradition had gone to Dr. Akoto to interact with him and listen to his vision for the party and Ghana in general.
He has proved, in their opinion, that he is competent in managing the NPP and Ghana in general, given his track record for the party and his appointment as a Cabinet Minister (Minister of Food and Agriculture) under President Akufo-Addo’s administration.
In response to the gesture, Dr. Akoto expressed his gratitude to the Founding Fathers and promised to contribute more to the NPP’s success to repay their trust.
“The six are NPP founding fathers.” They were among those who helped create the party in 1992. They informed me that they would like to interact with me whenever I visited the Ashanti Region. They arrived as promised, and following our conversation, they offered their support for me. They probed me and asked about my vision for Ghana and the party.
“They believed in my ideas and said I was still the greatest choice to represent the NPP. They stated that I have proved that I am a results-oriented individual capable of leading the party in the 2024 general elections,” Dr Akoto said.
A presidential hopeful of the New Patriotic Party (NPP), Dr Owusu Afriyie Akoto, has called on the leadership of the party to establish businesses that would support the growth of the country and inure to the benefit of its supporters.
Speaking on JoyNews, the former Agric Minister noted that there are concerns by party faithful over lack of employment and economic hardship.
As a solution, Dr Afriyie Akoto entreated the party to venture into active businesses to provide jobs for its supporters, arguing that political parties such as the African National Congress (ANC) in South Africa has several companies providing job opportunities.
“We need to fix this party in order that we can sustain ourselves in power come December 2024. We have a lot of contracts. Government is the biggest business in this country.
“If the military can have companies to do business, why can’t political parties. The ANC in South Africa owns mines, manufacturing concessions, insurance companies and so on. We have to be more entrepreneurial.
“As a key to ‘we have nothing’ the party as a body should have some business edge to raise income for themselves,” he said.
The ANC has had a strong presence in various sectors of the South African economy, particularly through its investment arm, Chancellor House Holdings (Pty) Ltd.
Chancellor House was established to fund the ANC’s activities during the struggle against apartheid.
Over the years, it has invested in various business ventures, including energy, construction, and telecommunications.
Former Food and Agriculture Minister, Dr Afriyie Owusu Akoto, has voiced his support for the use of improved seed varieties as a means to enhance agricultural productivity in Ghana.
In his view, the adoption of these improved seeds holds greater potential for advancing farming output compared to the construction of dams.
Dr. Afriyie Akoto, who is also vying to lead the New Patriotic Party (NPP) in the upcoming national election in 2024, argues that given the substantial cost associated with dam construction, it is more economically prudent for a developing country like Ghana to prioritize the utilization of improved seed varieties rather than investing heavily in dams.
He believes that by embracing these improved seeds, Ghana can make significant strides in improving its agricultural sector.
“..It is like buying a VW compared to buying a Mercedes Benz, irrigation is like Mercedes. If you get a trotro from Madina to the Ministry, it will get you to your office. Somebody will also come from Madina in a Mercedes Benz, it depends upon affordability. You talk about irrigation, it is very expensive, you talking about billions of dollars,” he cited.
He mentioned that the Kpalugu irrigation scheme is not cheap, considering that it will cost billions of dollars.
“What is cheap and can be effective in helping smallholders is by using the rainfall patterns that we have had since time immemorial, to improve upon the work that they are doing, that we could afford.”
Former Minister for Food and Agriculture, Dr Owusu Afriyie Akoto, is overwhelmed the World Bank’s decision to provide a $200 million financing from the International Development Association (IDA) for the Ghana Tree Crop Diversification Project (TCDP).
In an interview at his campaign office on Sunday, July 9, 2023, the NPP presidential hopeful noted that the project is very dear to his heart as it seeks diversify and grow its economy through modernizing agriculture to accelerate productivity, resilience, and industrialization.
According to Dr Afriyie Akotio, he took the initiative to engage the World Bank to throw its support behind the project when he still was the Minister for Food and Agriculture.
“As we speak, only US$ 3 million has been disbursed to promote the objectives of the Tree Crop Development Authority. While the slow disbursement of the seed money was going on, I engaged the World Bank to see how best they can assist us. So, they saw my vision that this is something that can easily make Ghana a prosperous country if we just took care of that particular Authority.
So, the engagement went on and I am glad that only a few months that I left office, the World Bank itself has put up a statement that they are prepared to support the Authority with US$200 million. It is just a relief for me,” he noted.
Ghana on June 3, 2023, received approval of $200 million financing from the International Development Association (IDA) for the Ghana Tree Crop Diversification Project (TCDP).
“The World Bank is pleased to support Ghana’s medium-term national development strategy through the Ghana Tree Crop Diversification Project and directly contribute to the Government of Ghana’s priorities for economic and social development in the Coordinated Program of Economic and Social Development Policies, for inclusive, resilient, and sustainable economy,” said Pierre Laporte, World Bank Country Director for Ghana, Liberia, and Sierra Leone.
“The project willsupport private investments in Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs) in cocoa, cashew, and coconut value chains and in cashew and coconut processing units,” he added.
According to the World Bank, while Ghana’s tree crops sector plays an enormous role in agriculture and the economy, the sector can contribute more substantially to Ghana’s economy and society than it currently does, including job creation, export revenue generation, and poverty reduction of the country’s poorest people.
Cocoa, cashew, coconut, and rubber segments employ some 728,000, 100,000, 10,364, and 4,322 farmers respectively.
Challenges said to be limiting the development of the sector include low and stagnant productivity, weak institutional capacity, poor sector governance, and poor climate resilience due to weak adoption of climate smart agriculture technologies and practices.
There is little value addition and weak coordination between actors of the tree crops value chains, the World Bank asserts, adding that “there is also lack of connectivity between farmers and improved inputs and services providers, and vulnerability to pests and diseases.”
The Government of Ghana intends to diversify and expand the economy by modernising agriculture, accelerating industrialisation, and prioritising climate resilience and mitigation.
This will be done in line with the Investment for Food and Jobs (Medium-Term Development Plan, 2018–2021) and the ‘Ghana Beyond Aid’ reform agenda by implementing the Ghana Tree Crop Diversification Project (GTCDP) through the Tree Crops Development Authority (TCDA) and Ghana Cocoa Board (COCOBOD), collaborating with the World Bank.
The GTCDP, among others, will support the existing capacity of COCOBOD and strengthen the nascent organisational capacity of TCDA. It will provide optimal enabling environments through the legalisation and operationalisation of tree crop regulations and agribusiness policies.
It will also support and enable local farmers, traders, and processors to generate jobs and profits from the production of the four selected tree crops, i.e., cocoa, cashew, rubber and coconut.
Flagbearer hopeful of the New Patriotic Party (NPP), Dr. Owusu Afriyie Akoto has filed his nomination forms at the party’s headquarters in Asylum Down, Accra today, Monday June 19, 2023.
He was accompanied by some stalwarts of the party, including former national and regional officers of the party, former Members of Parliament, constituency executives, Electoral Area Coordinators and Polling Station Executives.
Dr. Akoto is set to address the media and thousands of party followers where he will throw more light on his vision for the party and the country in general.
The nomination forms were picked on behalf of the former Minister for Food and Agriculture by a group of farmers and friends on May 29, 2023, in support of his presidential ambition.
By filing the nonination forms on Monday, the two-time Member of Parliament for Kwadaso, will be the third aspiring candidate to file his nomination forms after former Minister for Trade and Industry, Alan Kyerematen, and Vice President Dr. Mahamudu Bawumia.
Both Alan and Bawumia submitted their forms last Monday, June 12, 2023, and Friday, June 16, 2023, respectively.
The NPP opened nominations on May 26, 2023, with aspirants given up to June 24 to submit forms.
So far, 10 presidential hopefuls have picked up nomination forms to contest the NPP’s flagbearer slot.
They include: Dr Owusu Afriyie Akoto, a former Minister of Food and Agriculture, Kennedy Agyapong, the Member of Parliament for Assin Central, Mr Alan Kwadwo Kyerematen, the immediate past Minister of Trade and Industry, Kwabena Adjei Agyapong, a former General-Secretary of the Party, Dr. Mahamudu Bawumia, Vice-President of the Republic of Ghana, and Joe Ghartey, the Member of Parliament for Essikadu-Ketan and former Minister of Railway Development.
The rest are Boakye Agyarko, former Minister of Energy, Prof. Addai Nimoh, former MP for Mampong, Dr. Kofi Konadu Apraku, a former Minister of Trade and Industry, and Kwadwo Nsafoa Opoku, an expert in energy and related matters.
A Special Delegates Congress will be held on August 26, 2023, to select five of the presidential aspirants.
The top five aspirants will then contest for the flagbearer slot on December 4, 2023, to elect one to lead the party in the 2024 general elections.
Former Minister of Food and Agriculture, Dr. Owusu Afriyie Akoto has for the umpteenth time expressed optimism over his victory in the upcoming New Patriotic Party (NPP).
According to him most of the delegates have benefitted from him as minister of Agric under the Planting for Food and Jobs policy hence the reason they will vote for him.
“Well, you go into a contest to win, so I’m in the contest hoping to win, and I know that God will bless me to win this contest,” Citinewsroom.com quoted Dr. Owusu Afriyie Akoto as having said.
Dr. Owusu Afriyie Akoto also added that the incumbency of the Vice President has no advantage over him hence the reason he is not worried.
“The incumbency of the Vice President does not worry me at all, it doesn’t give any advantage over others. The party people know who is who. You just have to make sure that they know you are in the race.
“Most of our delegates are rural people, they benefitted from Planting for Food and Jobs. They are part of the 1.7 million farmers that have benefitted from the PFJ. So they relate to what I’m doing,” a flagbearer hopeful of NPP said.
Former Agric Minister, Dr Afriyie Akoto has disclosed the motive behind his presidential ambition.
He says he wants to be president because he wants to make a contribution to the New Patriotic Party (NPP).
“I want to be President because I want to be the flag bearer of the NPP,” he said.
He made the remarks in an interview with JoyNews.
The former Minister is known to have served the country in many ways. He served two terms as the Member of Parliament for Kwadaso from 2009 to 2016. While at Parliament, Afriyie Akoto was the Deputy Ranking Member for the Committee on Food and Agriculture and Cocoa Affairs.
In January 2017, President Nana Akufo-Addo nominated Afriyie Akoto for the position of Minister of Food and Agriculture. He was approved the same month and served as Minister till he resigned in January 2023.
Given all these portfolios , host of PM Express, Evans Mensa, questioned why Dr Akoto still wants to lead the country.
In response he noted that “to [be] given that opportunity for me to make a contribution to the New Patriotic Party.”
Following the comment, the former Kwadaso MP, has come under severe fire, with many Ghanaians contending that he does not have the nation at heart, rather, he is only pursuing this ambition in the interest of his political party.
Former Agric Minister and NPP flagbearer hopeful, Dr Afriyie Akoto, has called on banks for financial support in his quest to transform the country through Agriculture, if given the nod as the President of the Republic.
He believes the banks can entrust him with their financial resources given his achievements in the Agricultural sector during his tenure as the sector Minister.
Addressing a gathering at the University of Professional Studies, Accra on March 13, 2023, during the launch of his campaign to contest in the upcoming New Patriotic Party (NPP) presidential primaries, he mentioned that: “The government made significant Investment in farm inputs in order to increase agricultural productivity to raise, incomes of farmers, and to achieve national food security. The Ministry procured and distributed 1.4 million MT of fertilizer and 93,192 MT of improved seeds which were distributed to over 1.7 million farmers from 2017 to 2021.
“As a result of these measures, Maize yields increased from 1.8mt/ha to 3.0mt/ha; Rice yield increased from 2.7mt/ha to 4.0mt/ha and Soya yield increased from 1Mt/ha to 2.5Mt/ha, in the period from 2017 to 2021. With Planting For Food and Jobs (PFJ) intervention, production of maize has risen from 1.7 million MT in 2016 to 3.6 million MT in 2021, Rice from 688,000MT to 1.2 million MT, and soya from 143,000MT to 230,000MT over the same period,” he added.
While acknowledging that there is a lot of room for improvement in the PFJ, the Minister noted that the “stories that I have shared provide some evidence that the implementation of the program has been a resounding success.”
“As indicated earlier Government expenditure on improved seeds and fertilizers amounted to 2.6 billion Ghana Cedis in the period 2017-2021. To optimize the gains from such investments, we must further invest in the education of farmers, wherever they are in the country,” he noted further.
Touting these achievements and more, he concluded that “all banks should be giving him money to develop the sector.”
Dr Akoto’s highly centered on developing the country through Agriculture. During the campaign launch, he expressed the optimism that the agric sector will take Ghana out of its economic woes.
Speaking at the launch of his flagbearership campaign at the University of Professional Studies, Accra (UPSA) said “I strongly believe Agriculture will lift Ghana out of poverty.”
According to him, the sector will as well “assure us not only food and nutrition security but also generate the necessary resources for the development of the other sectors including industry, health, education and infrastructural medium to long term.”
Contrary to perceptions that he is an “arrogant” person, the former Minister for Food and Agriculture, Dr Afriyie Akoto, has indicated that he is a very affable person.
Speaking at his campaign launch on Monday, March 13, 2023, at the University of Professional Studies, Accra (UPSA) auditorium, he noted that he is a very confident person who has strong views on various subjects and is often perceived as being arrogant due to these qualities.
“I’m known to be ‘confident, very passionate and to have strong views on many subjects.’ Frequently I’ve often been perceived as too serious and arrogant but that is far from the reality. In fact, I’m a very friendly person, very open-hearted and an affable person,” he said.
The former Minister has on various occasions been described as arrogant. Former chairman of the Ghana National Poultry Farmers Association, Kwadwo Asante, earlier this month, labelled the Minister as arrogant and disrespectful.
During an interaction with Kumasi-based Oyerepa FM, Mr Asante recounted how the Agriculture Minister allegedly disrespected them when they met him and President, Akufo-Addo at a meeting.
He said the poultry farmers met President Akufo-Addo in Jubilee House years ago and told him there was a shortage of maize. But instead of the Minister admitting the claim and working to address the issue, he retorted with a claim that “there is an abundance of maize.”
That aside, Mr Asante indicated that he later approached him (Akoto) and his special aide and told them how foreigners (Nigerians) were exporting the maize produced by Planting for Food and Jobs. But the Minister could only respond with “so what?”
Also, some Ghanaians described him as arrogant following his posture and approach to some of the questions thrown at him by Members of Parliament’s Vetting Committee, among other instances.
Despite these instances the Minister insists he is only confident but not arrogant. He further pledged his commitment to earnestly serve the country.
“My father instilled in him the passion for service and to serve my motherland Ghana with all that is within me even if it costs me an arm and a leg for those who know me well,” he added.
Former Minister for Food and Agriculture is optimistic that the agric sector will take Ghana out of its economic woes.
Speaking at the launch of his flagbearership campaign at the University of Professional Studies, Accra (UPSA) said “I strongly believe Agriculture will lift Ghana out of poverty.”
According to him, the sector will as well “assure us not only food and nutrition security but also generate the necessary resources for the development of the other sectors including industry, health, education and infrastructural medium to long term.”
Ghana recorded low agriculture growth in the first half of 2022 compared to the same period in 2021.
The sector grew by 4.9 per cent averagely from January to June this year as compared to 8.9 per cent it grew in 2021.
Government attributed the situation to the rapid exchange rate depreciation, unsustainable debt burden, high inflation, fiscal stress and external sector shocks despite the monetary and fiscal policy interventions deployed this year.
This was revealed in the 2023 Budget Highlights by Mr Ken Ofori- Atta, Minister of Finance and Economic Planning, at the 2023 Budget Statement and Economic Policy presentation on the floor of Parliament on Thursday 24th November.
Ghana is currently working to turn out the economic challenges she is experiencing.
Meanwhile, Dr Akoto has noted that there is a new economic order emerging globally.
“This is evident from the current economic challenges confronting the world, food, renewable energy, water and big data will drive this new order.”
According to him, Africa particularly, Ghana has the potential to lead this new order by strengthening all sectors of the economy and culture sustainable and enrich its people.
Former Minister for Food and Agriculture, Dr Owusu Afriyie Akoto says he will continue to support the government to succeed despite his resignation on Tuesday, January 10.
According to him, he will not relent in supporting the Akufo-Addo government to transform the economy.
In a Facebook on Wednesday, January 11, he thanked President Akufo-Addo for appointing him to serve in his government.
“I expressed my utmost appreciation to His Excellency for the opportunity to serve him and the people of Ghana from 2017 until now.
“I also pledged my continue support in all diverse ways, to him and the NPP administration as we work hard to fulfill his vision of transforming the economy of Ghana and the lives of the people,” excerpt of his Facebook post said.
Dr Owusu Afriyie Akoto also thanked the staff of the Ministry of Food and Agriculture.
“I further wish to express profound gratitude to the people of Ghana, the hardworking staff of the Ministry for all the support over the years,” he said.
Meanwhile, he added “I will in the coming days make public, my next political journey.”
There are plans by the Akufo-Addo administration to establish an Agricultural Development Zone in the Northern Region.
The agricultural development zone, which will cover between 20-40 hectares of farm land, will be developed for prospective agriculture investors.
The Minister of Food and Agriculture (MoFA), Dr. Owusu Afriyie Akoto, made the disclosure when he paid a courtesy call on the Overlord of the Kingdom of Dagbon, Ya-Na Abukari II, at his Gbewaa Palace, Yendi in the Northern Region on Wednesday, December 7, 2022.
The visit by the minister formed part of his ongoing working tour in the northern part of the country.
“I have with me a proposal to the Ya-Na. We are proposing to set up an Agricultural DevelopmentZone in the Kingdom of Dagbon. This zone will consist of 20-40 hectares of farm land,” he disclosed.
According to him, his ministry already has some international companies who are willing to invest in agriculture in Ghana, assuring that “I will bring them to the Kingdom of Dagbon.”
The minister confidently expressed that within a space of three (3) to four (4) years, the economic landscape of the Northern region will be transformed after the establishment of this “special agricultural development zone.”
This facility, he said, will provide jobs to the teeming youth in the region, adding that “we will furnish it well with accurate machinery to help brand our farm produce well for domestic and foreign exports.
He added that the zone will not only cultivate crops but more importantly, add value to the produce.
Dr. Afriyie Akoto, however, used the visit to appeal to Ya-Na Abukari II to use his authority to help the government enforce the ban on export of foodstuffs to Ghana’s neighbouring countries.
He said it was sad that his ministry continued to receive reports of foodstuff being smuggled to Ghana’s neighbouring countries,
“I plead with you to use your power and authority to act as a check on the illegal export of food to our neighbouring countries. This issue has been discussed with the regional minister already, but I am pleading with you together with your various traditional rulers to help the government deal with it,” he appealed.
He stressed that the essence of the Planting for Food and Jobs (PFJ) policy is to inure to the benefit farmers and by extension Ghanaians, hence “if there is an outcome of the initiative, it should benefit us in the country and not outsiders.”
In a show of appreciation, the Overlord of the Kingdom of Dagbon, Ya-Na Abukari II, warmly welcomed the minister and commended him for his hard work in the agriculture sector.
“Your visit today shows your continuous recognition and readiness to collaborate with the traditional authorities as custodians of the land and major stakeholders in agriculture and its related fields.”
“I further wish to thank the President of the Republic for the confidence he has reposed in you to continuously steer affairs of the agriculture ministry,” Ya-Na Abukari II gladly expressed.
He encouraged the minister to continue the path of forging good working relationships with the traditional authorities.
“I wish, once again, to give you the assurance and readiness of the Dagbon Chiefs to collaborate with you to ensure that you leave an excellent footprint in the ministry,” the Overlord of Dagbon firmly assured.
He seized the opportunity to congratulate the 2022 National Best Farmer, Nana Yaw Sarpong Serebour, who is a traditional ruler.
“His award serves as an inspiration to the chiefs and increasing unemployed youth in the country,” he stated.
On that score, Ya-Na Abukari II called on the youth and chiefs in the Dagbon Kingdom to direct more attention to agriculture to help deal with food shortages and increasing unemployment in the country.
He bemoaned the fact that northern Ghana was still lagging behind in development.
“I must say it is unfortunate that our vast arable lands are left without any attention, and despite the enormous interventions by governments, Dagbon is still struggling with high levels of youth unemployment,” he lamented.
This, he stressed, required an immediate action, calling on the minster to direct more attention to the Kingdom of Dagbon to help create opportunities for the many unemployed youth.
He said that even though the increase in transportation cost is a factor in the price buildup of food commodities, that alone cannot be the reason for the astronomical increase prices.
Speaking on the floor of Parliament on Wednesday, November 9, Dr. Afriyie Akoto added that the government will be investigating allegations that traders are engaging in profiteering.
“Some are speculating that the marketers are making supper normal profit. That is something that has to be looked at. When you take the actual cost from the farm gate, how much the farmer is paid, the collection, the handling, the transportation, the price you get is multiples of what retailers are paying.
The minister reiterated the plans of his ministry to transport food from rural communities to urban centres including Accra, to ensure that the prices of food items come down in these areas.
Former Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of the Ghana Chamber of Bulk Oil Distributors, Senyo Hosi, has asked the Minister of Food and Agriculture (MOFA), Dr Afriyie Akoto to resign from post.
According to him, Dr Afriyie Akotois incapable of executing his mandate as the Food and Agriculture Minister.
Senyo Hosi’s recent outburst comes after MOFA reacted to his assertion of losing huge sums of money after relying on data from the Ministry when he decided to go into farming.
Speaking at an agribusiness dialogue on Wednesday, October 26, the Former CEO of Ghana Chamber of Bulk Oil Distributors disclosed that “When I used data from Ministry of Agriculture, I lost millions.”
Reacting to the allegation, MOFA in a press statement asked Mr Hosi to furnish the Ministry with information on the said data that cost him money.
Mr Hosi, describing the Ministry’s response as a publicity stunt, stated that MOFA is not concerned about the commercial and social viability of investments in the sector.
He explained that his address “is known to your office and so if you are truly minded about my pain and the merits of my argument, you would have reached out to me directly while sharing public interest in mitigating concerns of industry.
“I therefore do not find your Ministry under the current leadership an honest policy partner in the development of my business to warrant any submission of my investment details for your consideration. I however entreat you to honestly audit the production, yield, investment, and subsidy deployment information you publish.”
In his view, the sector minister after his appointment by President Akufo-Addo has been unable to generate profitability for farmers and investors engaged in agribusiness.
According to the chief executive of HGL Limited, an industrial rice plantation, and milling facility in Adaklu, further revealed that Since commencing operations with test runs with 500-acre cultivation of rice in 2020 and 1,350-acres in 2022, MOFA under the leadership of Dr Afriyie Akoto has failed to assess the company’s production levels despite the challenges it faces.
In a statement sighted by The Independent Ghana, he stated that “My submission, at core, was about your failure to structure the agricultural industry through policy to make it sustainably bankable and attractive for investment, to achieve the transformation we seek as a country.
“Respectfully, the arm-chair analysis the Minister and/or MOFA does with a culture of ‘knowing everything’, without adequate consultations and collaborations with industry, will take this country nowhere. Your conduct and management of this matter is suboptimal and, respectfully, proves your unfitness to lead in the policy space for this sector. It is no wonder that we have spent billions of cedis and yielded sub-optimal effects, under all kinds of sloganeering and questionable data reportage. “
He further challenged Dr Afriyie Akoto to name a single major subsector he has effectively de-risked, restructured and nurtured to promote sustainable investment and make Ghana a leader in that space.
The Minister for Food and Agriculture, Afriyie Akoto, has predicted a potential ban on locally produced cocoa on the international market due to illegal mining activities and their effects on Ghana’s extensive forest cover and water bodies.
Dr Afriyie Akotostated that chemical residues such as mercury and cyanide, among others, are affecting the sustainability standards of cocoa beans exported to European countries.
According to him, Ghana risks putting cocoa farmers within the value chain out of business if the current trajectory is not checked.
Expressing his concerns, Dr. Akoto stated that “It is the water pollution, cyanide and other chemicals, mercury that goes into the food chain and ends up in our stomachs. To me, that is the most dangerous part. It is not the quantity, but the negative environmental impact. I am afraid that it may go into the water in the cocoa areas. If we send a consignment of cocoa to, say, Belgium and they test it and find any trace, they could ban our cocoa exports.”
“So it is not so much the impact of the production as to endangering our international trade, and the only thing we have is cocoa. Immediately, the danger of these cyanides and these very dangerous chemicals going into our products, which we send abroad, will endanger our export earnings, which for me, is the biggest concern,” he added.
The conversation about the possible ban on Ghana’s cocoa was triggered by the European Union’s decision to implement a legislative instrument that ensures that goods exported to the international market are harvested, extracted, and processed sustainably.
According to reports, the purpose of the regulation is to minimize the EU’s contribution to global deforestation and to promote the consumption of products from deforestation-free supply chains.
The bill was supported by 453 votes to 57 with 123 abstentions.
The EU Parliament will now start negotiations on the final text with EU member states.
Commenting on the EU’s legislative proposal, Dr Afriyie Akoto fears the activities of illegal miners will hamper the cocoa industry.
This, he believes, will affect the economy at both national and local levels.
Meanwhile, the Information Minister, Kojo Oppong-Nkrumah has beseeched the union to work with African, Caribbean, and Pacific (ACP) countries to prevent its proposed ethical and sustainable supply chain rules from becoming a burden on the local cocoa and coffee industry.
Speaking at a two-day forum on the future of Ghanaian cocoa and coffee value chains under the theme “Alliances in Ghana: Coffee and Chocolate at the Table” in Brussels, Belgium, Mr Oppong-Nkrumah intimated that many exporters of cocoa in Africa will significantly affect their economies.
“By no means, however, should sustainability be used as a pretext to limit market accessibility. The exchange of best practices and technical assistance is necessary so that we can have a win-win situation in all of this.
“Their social reality and cultural context must be considered when designing legislation, so they may meet their demands and not bear a disproportionate burden of complying with the regulation,” he said.
Galamsey fight
The fight against illegal mining has somewhat become a wild goose chase.
Despite measures instituted to nib the canker in the bud, the activities of illegal mining still persist.
According to data from the Ghana Cocoa Board (COCOBOD), several cocoa farms in the Western, Ashanti, and Eastern regions have been destroyed by illegal mining.
In a study conducted in 2019 and 2020, COCOBOD discovered that 19,000 out of over 20,000 acres of cocoa farmland had been destroyed by galamsey activities.
The digging of small working pits and tunnels by miners in search of gold has in the long run destroyed Ghana’s water bodies and farmlands.
A chilling revelation by the Water Resources Commission (WRC) disclosed that about 60 per cent of Ghana’s water bodies have been polluted as a result of galamsey.
As part of efforts to combat illegal mining in Ghana, the government is said to be reviewing security strategies.
According to the Minister of National Security, Albert Kan-Dapaahthe revision, when implemented, will help the government institute strict and robust anti-galamsey policies to weed out illegal mining.
The 38th edition of the National Farmers Day has been launched in Accra to reward farmers for their hard work and commitment to ensure food sufficiency in the country over the year.
The event, which will be held in Koforidua, the Eastern Regional capital, on December 2, 2022, is on the theme: “Accelerating agricultural development through value addition”.
The Minister of Food and Agriculture, Dr Owusu Afriyie Akoto, who launched the day in Accra last Friday, said “we need to commend our farmers for standing with us to produce food in very difficult global circumstances”.
Recognition
Dr Akoto said farmers deserved commendation and encouragement, particularly over the last two years when the country performed well in the agricultural sector in the midst of difficulties arising from the COVID-19 pandemic.
He said the sector stood tall as a result of the support given to farmers by the government and described the performance of farmers as “extraordinary”, compared to other sectors, particularly in the wake of the pandemic.
According to him, there was a significant growth of 8.4 per cent of Gross Domestic Product (GDP) in the sector last year, as against 7.4 per cent in 2020 and 4.5 per cent in 2019.
He said since the introduction of the Planting for Food and Jobs initiative, the government had invested about GHC 2.6 billion to subsidise improved seeds and fertiliser.
According to him, the programme led to the cultivation of GHC 50 billion worth of farm produce, about 14,973,000 tonnes.
Value addition
The Minister of Fisheries and Aquaculture Development, Mavis Hawa Koomson, in a speech read on her behalf, said the concept of value addition in agriculture, especially in fisheries and aquaculture, would lead to additional revenue generation, job creation, foreign exchange earnings and effective post-harvest management.
According to her, in 2021, fish production stood at 628,617 tonnes, amounting to about GHC 11.04 billion, contributing about 1.04 per cent to GDP, adding: “I am sure that if there had been value addition, the revenue would have been more.”
Ms Koomson said her outfit had taken some measures to improve value addition and mentioned, for instance, the building of the capacity of actors in the fish value chain to ensure the production of safe and quality fish products.
Appreciation
The Eastern Regional Minister, Seth Kwame Acheampong, expressed appreciation to the National Planning Committee for selecting his region to host the event.
He gave an assurance that “this year’s celebration will be one of the greatest ever held, if not the best”.
The Chairman of the National Planning Committee, Yaw Frimpong Addo, said in the entire 38-year history of the celebration, the private sector had contributed significantly.
Mr Addo, who is a Deputy Minister of Food and Agriculture, entreated the private sector to, as usual, “come to the table with their sponsorship package”.
