GH₵8BN Agric funding is a recipe for disaster - Jasaw warns

Accra, Ghana - The government's recent announcement to inject GH₵8 billion into mitigating the current agricultural crisis has raised eyebrows among experts, who are questioning the transparency and effectiveness of the policy.

Dr. Godfred Seidu Jasaw, Deputy Ranking Member on the Food and Agricultural Committee, has expressed concerns that the plan may not be enough to address the root causes of the crisis.

Speaking on JoyNews' AM Show on August 27, Dr. Jasaw emphasized the need for a clear implementation plan, urging the government to provide a detailed outline of how the funds will be utilized to address the ongoing food insecurity crisis.

“When we have evidence that you injected GH₵3.2 billion, and this is where it has brought us, you are going to inject an additional GH₵8 billion. We have said that this is just another avenue to repeat what happened with the COVID-19 support from the global community,” Dr. Jasaw stated.

Dr. Jasaw also criticized the government's decision to ban the export of key grains, including maize, rice, and soybean, in response to the ongoing dry spell. 

“What is the implication of these policy measures on our food security situation? We are importing tomatoes and onions from neighboring countries, and there is the same drought happening in those countries as well.

"Just imagine the situation where they decide to also ban the exportation of foodstuffs,” he remarked.

He noted that Ghana is not currently exporting the affected grains, and questioned how neighboring countries might react to the ban, potentially imposing similar restrictions.

Source : Lead News Online