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MOFA to Review PFJ Policy to Enhance Transparency – Tanko Bagbara

MOFA will soon review its flagship program, ‘Planting for Food and Jobs’ policy to enhance the transparency, accountability and progress of the program, Public Relations Officer of the Ministry Of Food And Agriculture, Mr Tanko Bagbara has said.

The step, according to Mr. Bagbara is to address numerous agitations over the planting for food and jobs program and the fertilizer subsidy programs.

The call follows the interdiction of seven officers of the Ministry of Food and Agriculture (MOFA) in the Sunyani Municipality of the Brong Ahafo Region who are currently under investigations for stealing fertilizers meant for the Planting for Food and Jobs program.

Former Brong Ahafo Regional Minister, Kweku Asomah-Cheremeh earlier made the disclosure of the theft at a press conference. He said the fertilizers, estimated at GH¢600,000 were stolen between November 2017 to June 2018 at the Ministry’s warehouse.

Mr. Asomah-Cheremeh who said the Police and BNI have begun investigations into the development however, indicated that the theft will not affect the Planting for Food and Jobs Programme currently ongoing in the region.

The Planting for Food and Jobs programme remains one of government’s flagship initiatives aimed at improving agricultural production in the country.

Mr. Tanko Bagbara speaking on Rite FM’s Agric Forum with Austin Ofori Addo gave the firm assurance that the ministry will seal all leakages by intensifying security to check the movement of fertilizers and other farming inputs meant for the program to check incidents of fertilizer smuggling across the country.

The agric ministry is said to be doing several consultation to ensure that more stringent measures are put in place before the commencement of the third phase of the planting for food and jobs program which is likely to affect the current trend of the program.

The PRO however refused to disclose the new form the program will take, adding however that the ministry will soon commence investigations into the program across the country and culprits dealt with according to the laws of the country.

He said the Minister of Food and Agriculture, Dr Owusu Afriyie Akoto will in due time continue with his tour of the other parts of the country following his tour of the three northern regions where he realized how farmers were taking advantage of the policy.

Mr. Bagbara therefore called on the youth to take serious advantage of the program for their benefit.

By: Austin Ofori Addo/ritefmonline.org/austinofori.addo@gmail.com

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