Agricult Ltd not registered to manufacture fertilizer – State witness tells court

The National Director of the Plant Protection Regulatory Service Directorate (PPRSD) of the Ministry of Food and Agriculture, Dr Felicia Ansah-Amprofi has said Agricult Ghana Limited has not been registered to manufacture or reproduce fertilizer in Ghana.

According to her, instead, Agricult Ghana limited is registered with PPRSD to import and distribute Lithovite Folia fertilizer which was to be used on agriculture crops.

Madam Ansah-Anprofi, being led by Chief State Attorney Mrs Evelyn Keelson to give her Evidence-in-Chief as the fourth prosecution witness in the case in which Dr Stephen Kwabena Opuni, former Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of COCOBOD and Siedu Agongo, CEO of Agricult Ghana Limited are standing trial for causing financial loss to the state said, the Lithovite Folia fertilizer that it registered was only to be used on “agriculture crops.”

She added that, should they want to extend its use on cocoa, then they needed certification from the Cocoa Research Institute of Ghana (GRIG).

The director of PPRSD told the court that “Agricult Ghana Limited is not registered with PPRSD to manufacture lithovite folia fertilizer in Ghana. But Agricult is only registered to import and distribute lithovite folia fertilizer.”

In her testimony to the court about a request from the Criminal Investigative Department of the Ghana Police Service on if her outfit had given permission to Agricult to give COCOBOD fertilizer, she said “Although Agricult Ghana limited and Sidalco are registered with PPRSD to use their fertilizer on agriculture crops, these fertilizers can be used on cocoa only after certification by CRIG.

Explaining to the court the nature of certificates issued to Agricult Ghana and the kind of product it was to engage in, she said “We normally give two certificates. One for Company registration and another one for the product which is the fertilizers. We have four categorize of certificates; that is to register as the manufacturer, as an importer, a distributor or retailer.”

She added that “So the certificate I have in my hands from PPRSD is a certificate of registration as a fertilizer importer and certificate of registration of a fertilizer (Lothovite Folia) product.”

She said the name of the fertilizer product on the certificate was “Lithovite” and the type of formulation stated on the certicate was “Powder.”

According to the witness, the country of origin of certificate is Germany while the duration of the certicate issued on fertilizer products by PPRSD was for two years and can be renewed for another two years.

About PPRSD

The witness whose current educational qualification is Ph.D. in Plant Protection Extention and has been a director of PPRSD since 2017 said PPRSD has four divisions under it.

The first is Ghana Seed inspection division which is concerned with quality assurances of seed and plant materials, “so to be able to do that we register the seed growers. We inspect and certify the seed and planting materials for use.”

The second division she said is the Crop Pest and Diseases Management Division. Under this division, she said “help in the management of the pest and disease for farmers farms so farmers come with their problems and is diagnosed and solution is given to them for the management of the pest or disease.

The third division she said is Plant Quarantine Service which ensures the export and import of plants and plant products.

The forth Pesticide and fertilizer Regulatory Division (PFRD): This division according to her was established by the plant and fertilizer act 2010 (Act 803). This division registers companies that wish to deal in fertilizer and also register the products.

Cross-examination

Under cross-examination from Lawyer Samuel Codjoe, counsel for Dr. Opuni, she said she had no personal or official dealings with Dr Opuni.

The Criminal Division of the Accra High Court presided ever by Justice Clemence Hornyenugah, a justice of the Supreme Court sitting with additional responsibility as a High Court judge adjourned sitting to October 13, 2020, for further cross-examination.