News:
June 2, 2020
Food and Agriculture Minister Dr. Akoto Afriye has said he was taken out of contest with the issue that went viral that food has become cheap in this COVID-19 pandemic such that a bunch of plantain is going for three Ghana cedis (GHc3).
According to him since the issue broke up weeks ago it is the first time he is commenting on the issue, adding he was not prepared back then.
Given the opportunity to clear the air, he pointed out that looking at the records two years ago plantain prices were so low and nobody can deny or challenge that, since those of them from the Ministry are the ones who keep prices in the market.
“We have the record to show that a bunch of plantain was four cedis here in Accra and nobody can deny that”.
When questioned on food security after the lockdown was lifted he pointed out that he was one of the first Ministers in the current administration to go to the five forest regions to see for himself what impact COVID-19 has had on farms.
“I did not see anything to get me worried rather I was more encouraged, my visit to the Eastern Region Atiwa East at Nkwakwa there is a number of young people planting rice I was amaze so when I came to Accra I said there is galamsey of rice planting going on”.
Again, these you people in Bono East, Ahafo and Ashanti Regions are taking opportunity offered by this government as it has subsidized fertilizers and high price of maize which gives them a lot of yield.
The Food and Agriculture Minister emphasized that the country is planning to produce maize in large quantities in other to export to its neighbors in the sub-region, where in the value chain more jobs would be created.
Kwaku Sakyi-Danso/Ghanamps.com