By King Amoah
Ghana, a nation which is historically lauded for its agricultural effectiveness dating back to the vision of its first president Dr.Osagyefo Kwame Nkrumah now finds itself at a crossroads.
While Nkrumah’s era is remembered for a widespread food security and abundant harvests, today, many Ghanaians lament a stark different reality: hunger, food insecurity and discouraged farmers.
This grim picture is attributed to alleged rampant corruption and mismanagement within the Ministry of Food And Agriculture ( MOFA) which has fueled a growing chorus of calls for the ministry’s closure.
From opinion polls carried out by this Correspondent, many citizens label the Ministry as a waste of national resources.
The citizens stressed that the potential of Ghana’s agricultural sector remains undeniable.
At Offinso, Kofi Annan highlighted that the nation’s fertile lands can produce food in abundance that could satisfy domestic needs and even to the extent of export.
However lack of support and the perceived idleness of technical experts within the Ministry of Food And Agriculture have stifled this potential.
Despite the presence of individuals purportedly equipped to guide the sector a pervasive sense of laziness, according to some citizens have rendered their expertise ineffective.
Maame Mansa a farmer of Ejisu indicated her frustration at the conspicuous absence of personnel (Extension Officers) being posted to assist farmers.
She questions the tangible impact of a ministry whose officials draw substantial salaries and allowances but fail to discharge their duties to those on the front lines of food production.
Yaw Nsiah of Obuasi expressed deep concern over the practice of traders who travel from Ghana to Burkina Faso to procure tomatoes and other staple crops while Ghana’s own fertile lands lie fallow and are often encroached upon by illegal mining activities.
This highlights a critical failure in effective land management and agricultural policy, especially when juxtaposed with the damage inflicted by destructive mining activities.
Ransford Budu in Dunkwa on Offin in the Central region unequivocally described the Ministry of Food And Agriculture as an ineffective organ of the government for failing to function as a national body for farmers.
He cited the ministry’s conspicuous silence on the declining cocoa prices which he viewed is a critical issue for Ghana’s agricultural workforce.
The silence of the Ministry can be seen as, a prime example of its dereliction of duty, Budu pointed out.
His opinion was a direct call for the authorities to shut down the Ministry.
The challenges extend beyond traditional farming.
Jones Mingle a fisherman from Takoradi in the Western region shared the struggles faced by the fishing community.
He too added his voice to the calls for the Ministry of Food And Agriculture’s dissolution insisting that it represents a drain on state funds.
Mingle proposed a concrete alternative: envisioning private sector partnerships as the key to revitalize the agricultural sector to ensure that its benefits reach all Ghanaians rather than continuing to waste money on ineffective government body.
