General News of Thursday, 14 November 2019

Source: www.ghanaweb.com

Success in Planting for Food and Jobs a 'dream come true' for Akufo-Addo - Osafo-Maafo

Senior Minister, Yaw Osafo-Maafo play videoSenior Minister, Yaw Osafo-Maafo

Senior Minister, Yaw Osafo-Maafo has noted that President Akufo-Addo’s Planting for Food and Jobs initiative which was rolled out three years ago has yielded fruitful results.

Priding himself of a good job done by the New Patriotic Party (NPP), the Senior Minster indicated that with the boom in local produce, Ghana became a net exporter of maize, adding that, the agricultural sector will witness a positive change come 2020 with this achievement.

Speaking on NPP’s greatest achievement on CitiFM’s Breakfast show Thursday, Mr Yaw Osafo-Maafo said: “After three years, agriculture, Planting for Food and Jobs has succeeded so much that Ghana became a net exporter of maize…and it’s obvious looking at the market that local production of food is really on the ascendancy so I will say that we’ve done it, we are on the right path and the way things are going, come at the end of 2020, the story of the agric sector will be different and positively different.”

He also indicated that, there has been a positive change in Ghanaians as it is evident in their high demand of local produce, as well as their zeal in pushing the government’s 1District, 1Factory from all angles.

Mr Yaw Osafo-Maafo added that a lot of youth have equally evaded the farming sector and this decision taken by them will push the agenda of a Ghana Beyond Aid.



About Planting for Food and Job

The programme, with five strategic pillars was aimed at increasing productivity of food crops, ensuring food security, raw materials for industry, reducing food import and increasing export.

It also seeks to create jobs for the teeming unemployed youth as well as attract others into the agricultural sector.

The roll out of the programme in June 2017 has since changed the face of the agricultural sector of the country.

While commending the NPP government for achieving one of their campaign promises, the Senior Minister said, “I think here, the Akufo-Addo government is doing very well and the results are showing in figures”.