Farmers Have Been Cheated For Too Long - Sir John

Former General Secretary of the opposition New Patriotic Party (NPP), Lawyer Kwadwo Owusu Afriyie believes the ruling NDC government is quietly implementing the International Monetary Fund (IMF) in the 2015 budget. According to the former Chief Scribe of NPP, the expansion of some of the taxes to 2017 and the introduction of the Special Petroleum Tax in the 2015 budget are part of the conditionalities. Meanwhile, Mr. Fifi Fiavi Kwetey, Minister of Food and Agriculture, last Tuesday entreated Ghanaian farmers to gradually wean themselves off subsidies on farming inputs and agro-chemical products. He cautioned that the government could not continue with the offer of subsidies, which come with greater cost and huge burden on national coffers, saying, �It is time that we become realistic and face the future with an independent mind and attitude�. Mr. Kwetey, who was addressing the fifth National Farmers� forum, said farmers were equally doing well in the 1990s where there was no government subsidy so he entreated them to take the advice of agric extension officers and apply the right quantity of agro-chemicals to increase yields, which would translate into profit. The farmers� forum was designed to promote effective communication and information sharing among stakeholders in the sector. Topical issues on agri-business were discussed at this forum to improve on the knowledge base of farmers. Reacting to the stance of the Agric Minister on Okay Fm�s Ade Akye Abia Morning Show, Sir John as he is known in political circles insisted the comment from the Agric Minister is an indication that the government on the quiet is implementing the conditionality of the IMF. He asserted that the increase in electricity tariffs, petroleum prices and the suggestion from the Agric Minister to wean off subsidies on farming inputs and agro-chemical is a clear manifestation that the government is gradually enforcing the IMF conditions. He mentioned that the NDC government does not have the poor farmers at heart as some of the farmers still cut off big trees with cutlass without modern machines to assist them in their farm activities. �I am sad to hear Fifi Kwetey has said that and at least if you cannot appreciate the good effort of farmers, you don�t increase or worsen their situation. Elsewhere in Europe, farmers are given subsidies to produce more for exportation and to raise the value of farm produce in the international market. Farmers have been cheated for too long and so from today Fiifi Kwetey should stop talking about subsidy�.it is clear that the subsidy Fiifi Kwetey is implanting in the minds of farmers is an idea of the IMF conditionality; IMF said they should increase electricity, petrol prices and other things but they are hiding them from Ghanaians,� he said.