The General Agricultural Workers Union (GAWU) has joined calls to dismiss the Minister of Food and Agriculture, Dr Owusu Afriyie Akoto.
According to the General Secretary of GAWU, Edward Kareweh, the underperformance of the minister has caused exorbitant food prices on the Ghanaian market.
“He should be sacked tomorrow because he cannot be the face of agriculture.”
“The call is even long overdue. It is not for the minister to resign; I know he will not. It is for the President to sack him,” he said.
Mr Karewah also said the minister’s plans to cart foodstuff from farming communities to the market centres are not feasible.
“It is a call that we think is not well thought through. It is a call that if we allow it to go on, it will lead to creating financial loss to the state.”
“That alone is even enough for him to be dismissed. How much more his monumental failure in managing to plant for food and jobs and putting us in this crisis,” Mr Kareweh added.
His comment follows that of the former CEO of the Chamber of Bulk Oil Distributors, Senyo Hosi.
Mr Hosi had proposed the resignation or removal of the Agric Minister.
In a statement, he criticised the Ministry of Food and Agriculture’s approach to data and lack of consultation.
“Respectfully, the arm-chair analysis the Minister and/or MOFA [Ministry of Food and Agriculture] does with a culture of ‘knowing everything’, without adequate consultations and collaborations with industry, will take this country nowhere.”
“Your conduct and management of this matter is suboptimal and, respectfully, proves your unfitness to lead in the policy space for this sector,” Mr Hosi said.
“I respectfully call on the Minister and his Chief Director to resign immediately to save this industry from total collapse,” he stated.
Meanwhile, during a stakeholders’ meeting with farmers on Wednesday, November 2, 2022, the Minister of Food and Agriculture disclosed that the government plans to cart food from the farm gate to the big markets to sell at lower prices.
According to him, this initiative will help to curb the high cost of foodstuffs on the market.
Hikes in fuel prices have compelled transport operators to increase transport fares nationwide, making it very difficult for farmers to transport food to the major cities.
The farmers welcomed this initiative by the minister as it will help them to increase their profit margin.