The National Democratic Congress in the Offinso South Constituency of the Ashanti Region has accused the New Patriotic Party in the area of diverting Planting for Food and Jobs (PFJ) fertilizers meant for farmers.
In a press release issued on Thursday, the NDC alleged that over 70 PFJ fertilizers are being stored in a secret location near the Municipal Chief Executive’s house for distribution among NPP members.
The party claimed that the majority of pro-NPP assembly members and party executives who will receive these fertilizers are not farmers and have no farming experience.
They suggested that the NPP will likely sell these fertilizers to actual farmers instead of using them for their intended purpose, thereby defeating the program’s objective.
The NDC criticized the NPP government’s PFJ program as a total failure, citing the lack of significant increase in production, rising food inflation, and high cost of agricultural inputs.
They alleged that the program was implemented to benefit a select few, particularly NPP members, citing a leaked audio as evidence.
The leaked audio, intercepted by the NDC, allegedly reveals the Municipal Assembly Presiding Member, Mr. Kwabena Nsiah, directing pro-NPP assembly members and party executives to receive PFJ fertilizers using their Ghana Card.
The party also linked the Municipal Director of the Ministry of Food and Agriculture (MOFA), Kofi Owusu Boahen, in the fertilizer diversion.
The party issued the following demands through the press release:
- An immediate and total halt to the fertilizer distribution until a transparent and fair process is established to ensure they reach the intended beneficiaries – the farmers.
- The MOFA director and NPP members must immediately release the fertilizers to the deserving farmers without delay.
- We demand that the PFJ fertilizers be relocated to the MOFA storage room to ensure fair and transparent distribution.
- The Ghana Police Service in the municipality must take swift and urgent action against those misappropriating fertilizers. If no action is taken, we will be forced to take matters into our own hands to ensure our farmers receive the farm inputs they deserve.
The Offinso South NDC urged the New Patriotic Party in the area to at least appreciate the efforts of farmers by providing them with what is due to them.
Source: Kaakyire Kwasi Afari
