Deputy Minister of Agriculture, George Oduro
Deputy Minister of Agriculture, George Oduro, has said that government’s decision to make state institutions patronise locally manufactured products is to prevent post-harvest losses and increase yields which will enable people buy these products at low prices as compared to prices by their international counterparts.
The deputy minister said this on Class FM in Accra yesterday, following government’s policy which mandates state institutions to purchase locally manufactured products.
According to the minister, about 942 metric tonnes of rice is imported into the country, thus making the local markets have clashes with foreign manufactures. However, he indicated that this policy will seek to create a ready market and provide ready buyers for what the local farmers will produce.
Although the policy was not all mandatory, it seeks to appeal to the conscience of the people to buy cheap but quality products instead of importing on large quantities to supply to their consumers, he added.
He continued that with the ‘one district one factory policy,’ government will set up rice mills at identified rice production farms across the country, where it will initiate processing and packing so as to put the local produces at par with their international counterparts in terms of competition.
He added that when this is done, goods will be of the same quality as the ones imported into the country.
On the matter of breach of contracts, the minister stated that the agriculture ministry will enter into contracts and sign a memorandum of understanding (MoU) which will include clauses to deal with challenges that the policy is likely to face.
He mentioned institutions including the ministries of health, education and interior to be on the bill.
Also, President of the Ghana Agricultural Chamber of Commerce, Mr. Philip Abayore, said this policy has been in existence since the school feeding programme was introduced.
He added however, that it was gradually collapsing with the rise in the importation of products in the country.
He mentioned that as part of the policy implementation, all ministries in charge of procurement of products in large quantities will sign this MoU to purchase from local manufacturers and supply to state institutions, noting that it will shoot up productivity, food safety and availability and delivery on timely basis to these institutions.
For his part, Public Relations Officer (PRO) of Ghana Education Service (GES) Reverend Jonathan Betty, said it was a laudable initiative which when adhered to, will reduce the amount of sickness and diseases caused by chemicals used in imported goods.
