Mahama confused over agricultural sector – Akufo-Addo

The flag bearer of the opposition New Patriotic Party (NPP), Nana Akufo-Addo, has taken a swipe at President John Dramani Mahama, describing him as confused for believing the agricultural sector is not falling under his leadership.

The NPP has insisted agriculture has declined from 7.4 per cent since the time President John Kufuor left office in 2009 to 2.5 per cent under Mr Mahama.

However, in his address at this year’s Farmers’ Day celebration, the president said: “The impression created in the media is false. Let me state for a fact that the agricultural sector is not in decline.

A sector that is growing at 2.5 per cent cannot be said to be in decline. The statistics can be crosschecked at the [Ghana] Statistical Service.

The fact that agric’s contribution to the GDP is not what it used to be in the past does not mean that it is declining; it simply means that other sectors of the economy are also doing well, which is good for the economy and normal for every developing and developed country.”

Addressing students at the Sunyani Polytechnic on Friday 11 November as part of his tour of the Brong Ahafo Region, Nana Akufo-Addo said Mr Mahama’s assertion that the sector was doing well could only mean that the president was confused.

“He went the other day and he spoke in Kintampo to tell us that those of us who are saying that our agriculture is in crisis, we are misleading the people of Ghana, we don’t know what we are talking about [and that] we are confusing decline in agriculture’s contribution to GDP to a decline in growth rate. Mr President, if anybody is confused, it has to be you. When Kufuor left office, agriculture was growing at 7.4 per cent in 2009.

These are not my statistics; they are the official statistics of our country. Last year, official statistics tell us that agriculture grew at 2.5 per cent. How can a decline of growth rate of agriculture from 7.4 per cent to 2.5 per cent be said to be healthy?” Mr Akufo-Addo asked.