The 2016 presidential candidate of the New Patriotic Party Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo has expressed his appreciation to farmers and fisherfolk across the country for their hard work with a similar message from 2015 but with inconsistencies.

The 2016 statement which is no different from that of last year stated that budgetary allocation to the agric sector has been reducing consistently – from 4% in 2009 to 1.1%, as contained in the 2016 budget.

But a quick check in the 2015 statement by the NPP indicated that budgetary allocation to the agric sector had reduced consistently – from 3% in 2009 to 1.1%, as contained in the 2016 budget.

Another inconsistency from the two statements reveals that the NPP stated in 2015 that the growth rate in the agric sector, which stood at 7.4% at the end of 2008, was now a dismal 0.04% but in the 2016 statement, the NPP states that the growth rate in the sector, which stood at 7.4% in 2008, the last year of the NPP administration, was only a dismal 2.4% in 2015.

Below is NPP’s 2016 statement to farmers

On the occasion of the 2016 Farmers’ Day celebrations, I join all Ghanaians in expressing our sincere appreciation to our farmers and fisherfolk for their hard work and commitment to the cause of building Mother Ghana over the years.

The role of agriculture in transforming any economy and nation is vital. If we are to make any meaningful change in the lives of the people, our efforts must be directed at this sector.

The majority of people can only feel a change in their lives when we develop agriculture rapidly.

However, the agriculture sector has been largely neglected under the NDC government over the last 8 years. Budgetary allocation to the sector has been reducing consistently – from 4% in 2009 to 1.1%, as contained in the 2016 budget.

It, therefore, comes as no surprise that growth rate in the sector, which stood at 7.4% in 2008, the last year of the NPP administration, was only a dismal 2.4% in 2015.

With modernisation and diversification of agriculture being a key component of the NPP’s 4-Point Agenda for the development of Ghana, I wish to assure our farmers and fisherfolk that the blessing of oil will not distract an Akufo-Addo-led NPP government from growing the agricultural sector and making it more modern, more efficient and therefore, more productive.

Access to finance, improved training and technology, reducing post-harvest losses, extending feeder roads and farm tracts to as many farm gates as possible, increasing irrigation facilities, and guaranteeing markets for our farm produce are going to be the nucleus of this approach.

All these would be implemented in close collaboration between the District Assemblies and the field staff of the Ministry of Food and Agriculture. Farmers should have a cause to look forward to tomorrow with belief and joy!

I congratulate all award winners in this year’s National Best Farmers' Day Awards and I hope that your exploits and achievements would be an inspiration for others to the benefit of the Ghanaian people.

God bless our farmers and fisherfolk.

God bless Ghana.

……signed……

Nana Akufo-Addo

Below is NPP’s 2015 Farmer’s Day message

On the occasion of the 2015 Farmers’ Day celebrations, I join many other Ghanaians in expressing our sincere appreciation to our farmers and fisherfolk for their hard work and commitment to the cause of building Mother Ghana over the years.

The role of agriculture in transforming any economy and nation is vital. If we are to make any meaningful change in the lives of the people, our efforts must be directed at this sector. The majority of people can only feel a change in their lives when we develop agriculture rapidly.

However, the agriculture sector has been neglected under the NDC government over the last 7 years. Budgetary allocation to the sector has been reducing consistently – from 3% in 2009 to 1.1%, as contained in the 2016 budget. It, therefore, comes as no surprise that growth rate in the sector, which stood at 7.4% at the end of 2008, when the NPP left office, is now a dismal 0.04%.

With modernisation and diversification of agriculture being a key component of the NPP’s 4-Point Agenda for the development of Ghana, I wish to assure our farmers and fisherfolk that the blessing of oil will not distract an Akufo-Addo-led NPP government from making the agricultural sector more sophisticated, more productive and more efficient. Access to finance, improved training and technology, reducing post-harvest losses, extending feeder roads and farm tracts to as many farm gates as possible, increasing irrigation facilities, and guaranteeing markets for our farm produce are going to be the nucleus of this approach.

I congratulate all award winners in this year’s National Best Farmers' Day Awards and I hope that your exploits and achievements would be an inspiration for others to the benefit of the Ghanaian people.

God bless our farmers and fisherfolk.

God bless Ghana.

……signed……

Nana Akufo-Addo

2016 NPP Presidential Candidate