Governance Lecturer at the Central University, Dr. Benjamin Otchere Ankrah has criticized the Food and Agriculture Minister, Dr. Owusu Afriyie Akoto for his introduction of the Planting for Food and Jobs (PFJ)' market.
As part of the efforts to control prices of food items, the Minister introduced a PFJ market at the forecourt of the Ministry to make food items available and affordable to Ghanaians.
The initiative which started on Friday, November 11, with bunches of plantain aimed at cushioning Ghanaians in the face of food price hikes in the country.
The Ministry has meanwhile, expanded this initiative to include cabbage, yams, carrot, pepper, spring onions, cucumbers and rice.
Some have however described the project as "unsustainable".
Reacting to this on Peace FM's 'Kokrokoo', Dr Otchere Ankrah questioned the sustainability of this project.
"Are we serious as a country? Selling plantain at the Ministry? So will those at Dodowa, East Legon go to the ministry to buy the plantain? Let the system work if any . . . what I'm seeing is cosmetic. Will the Minister for Fisheries also start selling Koobi . . . ? What at all is happening . . . let's be serious a bit . . . " he said.
Source: Peacefmonline.com
Disclaimer: Opinions expressed here are those of the writers and do not reflect those of Peacefmonline.com. Peacefmonline.com accepts no responsibility legal or otherwise for their accuracy of content. Please report any inappropriate content to us, and we will evaluate it as a matter of priority. |
Simply unsustainable. At most tax payers money would be used to cushion prices and after sometime it would die a natural death. Because it is simply unsustainable.
Nope .. the ministry will start selling brains and common sense for persons who lacks it to get someone and make sensible comment in future ..
This country used to have the Ghana food distribution company ( GFDC) that used to market food stuff right from the farms if I recall in the late 70s and early 80s along side the grocery provisions of GNTC. This initiative might seem cosmetic but it will help a lot of workers too. What the ministry must do is to open such centres all around the regions and it towns to deal with some of this profiteering traders too. Every system must have a balance. or else a few ones will monopolize the system and control the prices like a cartel. The government have to muscle to buy bulk from the farms and at a reduced transport cost. The traders will not be happy but they also must form association to gather the big spending power to negotiate with the farms instead of the piece meal efforts by individuals that pushes the prices up.
Mr Lecturer, kindly be informed that people in Dodowa don’t need to come to Accra to buy plantains. The stuff is abundant in Dodoma. People in East Legon, stone me! They only buy imported food stuff. What the Ministry is doing is trying to alleviate the hardship the real people in Accra, especially ordinary workers, are going through. Every Little Helps, so goes a Tesco advert.
***barred word***!