Oil cash will not distract my gov’t from growing agric sector – Akufo-Addo

The 2016 Presidential Candidate of the New Patriotic Party (NPP), Nana Addo-Dankwa Akufo-Addo, has reiterated his commitment to developing the agricultural sector when given the mandate the govern the country.

According to him, the agricultural sector is so dear to heart that not even the blessing of the country’s oil and gas will distract his attention from developing the sector.

The agricultural sector, he noted, has seen a sharp decline under President Mahama’s watch to extent that growth rate in the sector which stood at 7.4% in 2008 (the last year of the NPP administration) recorded a dismal 2.4% in 2015.

He said the agricultural sector has been largely neglected under the NDC government over the last eight years, a situation he attributed to the continuous low the investment in the sector.

“With modernization and diversification of agriculture being a key component of the NPP’s 4-Point Agenda for the development of Ghana, I wish to assure our farmers and fisherfolk that the blessing of oil will not distract an Akufo-Addo-led NPP government from growing the agricultural sector and making it more modern, more efficient and therefore, more productive. Access to finance, improved training and technology, reducing post-harvest losses, extending feeder roads and farm tracts to as many farm gates as possible, increasing irrigation facilities, and guaranteeing markets for our farm produce are going to be the nucleus of this approach. All these would be implemented in close collaboration between the District Assemblies and the field staff of the Ministry of Food and Agriculture. Farmers should have a cause to look forward to tomorrow with belief and joy,” he noted.

Akufo-Addo made this observation in a statement signed and released in Accra on Friday to appreciate the country’s farmers and fisherfolk for their hard work and commitment to the cause of building Ghana over the years.

Below is the full statement:

AKUFO-ADDO’S FARMERS’ DAY MESSAGE

On the occasion of the 2016 Farmers’ Day celebrations, I join all Ghanaians in expressing our sincere appreciation to our farmers and fisherfolk for their hard work and commitment to the cause of building Mother Ghana over the years.

The role of agriculture in transforming any economy and nation is vital. If we are to make any meaningful change in the lives of the people, our efforts must be directed at this sector. The majority of people can only feel a change in their lives when we develop agriculture rapidly.

However, the agriculture sector has been largely neglected under the NDC government over the last 8 years. Budgetary allocation to the sector has been reducing consistently – from 4% in 2009 to 1.1%, as contained in the 2016 budget. It, therefore, comes as no surprise that growth rate in the sector, which stood at 7.4% in 2008, the last year of the NPP administration, was only a dismal 2.4% in 2015.

With modernisation and diversification of agriculture being a key component of the NPP’s 4-Point Agenda for the development of Ghana, I wish to assure our farmers and fisherfolk that the blessing of oil will not distract an Akufo-Addo-led NPP government from growing the agricultural sector and making it more modern, more efficient and therefore, more productive. Access to finance, improved training and technology, reducing post-harvest losses, extending feeder roads and farm tracts to as many farm gates as possible, increasing irrigation facilities, and guaranteeing markets for our farm produce are going to be the nucleus of this approach. All these would be implemented in close collaboration between the District Assemblies and the field staff of the Ministry of Food and Agriculture. Farmers should have a cause to look forward to tomorrow with belief and joy!

I congratulate all award winners in this year’s National Best Farmers’ Day Awards and I hope that your exploits and achievements would be an inspiration for others to the benefit of the Ghanaian people.

God bless our farmers and fisherfolk.

God bless Ghana.

……signed……

Nana Akufo-Addo

2016 NPP Presidential Candidate