Solomon Owusu, leading member of Movement for Change
A leading member of the Movement for Change, Solomon Owusu, has charged the Minister of Agriculture, Eric Opoku, to avoid staying in his air-conditioned office and instead visit the field more often to ensure that government policies on agriculture are being properly implemented.
He questioned why Ministers of Agriculture have, over the years, chosen to remain in their offices, dressed formally, while expecting the right actions to be taken in the field.
“We make statements without taking action. The Planting for Food and Jobs initiative should have been a great policy, but how was it implemented? I expect the current minister, Eric Opoku, to focus on that policy, improve it, and ensure that agriculture is not treated as a classroom subject. It is not conducted in hotels. When I see Ministers of Agriculture holding programs in hotels… do we plant corn in hotels? You see a Minister of Agriculture always in a suit—Minister of Agriculture? Your place is on the farm, in the fields, monitoring progress. But instead, you stay in the office wearing a suit. That is why we are not creating enough jobs. Agriculture alone has the potential to employ all these young people.”
Solomon Owusu further questioned why Burkina Faso should be feeding Ghana when Ghana has more fertile land.
“We have richer soil than Burkina Faso, a country that has been battered by military takeovers. Why should they be feeding us? It is sheer laziness. Last year, the former Minister of Agriculture told us that because there was insufficient rainfall, we had to spend close to 8 billion to support our food needs. How can you tell me that in the 21st century, you relied solely on rain-fed agriculture and were not interested in irrigation? That is a lazy approach.”
Why should an Agric Minister be wearing suit; your place is in the farm? Agriculture is not done in the classrooms and in hotels – Solomon Owusu speaks on Ghana’s agricultural sector.#TV3NewDay
— #TV3GH (@tv3_ghana) February 26, 2025
KA
Meanwhile, watch as Nana Akomea, Kwesi Pratt clash on radio over public sector dismissals