The Minister of State in charge of Public Private Partnership Rasheed Pelpuo has blamed the dwindling and decline in Agriculture in the country on lack of interest by the youth to go into the sector.

Justifying his position on news and current affairs program Ghana Dadwen on Onua fm on, the Wa Central Member of Parliament was of the view that President John Dramani Mahama government has created many avenues and supported the Agric sector more than any government but the youth are more interested in office jobs more than farming.

“Agriculture we all agree is the life blood of every nation’s economy including Ghana and if close to 60% of our youth is into Agric do you know what that will mean for our economy, there are only few young people who come to my office for guidance or support to go into the sector and that is not encouraging for the future of this country, the youth are just not interested in farming no matter how opportunities are abound, they want white man job” the Wa legislature lamented.

The Minister of State in Charge of PPP maintained that rich Ghanaians are shying away from going into agriculture production because they comfortable to fly their money outside to invest in another country rather than going into large agriculture production which will provide jobs for the youth.

“If they don’t invest in the financial sector then they are dealing in hardware or even buy and selling” I think it is time people also take advantage over many opportunities created by us to start thinking Agric or we will still keep complaining that the sector is collapsing, Rasheed Pelpuo stressed.

He also pointed out that government can stimulate and motivate people to go into farming but if people do not express interest you cannot force them, it is not as if government do not care about the situation. That is why there are interventions like seedling distribution, mass spraying, subsidizing fertilizer inputs heavily and also reduction of tax component on some agric implement in order to motivate existing farmers to do more and also easy for those who are wishing to enter the sector.

“I challenge any youth to take up the challenge and come to see me that they want to go into agric, Asempa am happy to report that not long ago a young lady came to me that she wanted to go into can drink production and my office is willingly providing all the supports she needed.”

He added that not government is neglecting the agric sector or not encouraging people to go there but what is needed is just people should be interested in going into the sector, they will be supported.

"It is better we stop saying agric is growing in negatives and try to encourage the youths to venture into agriculture production which will go in a long way to cut down the joblessness rather than making political capital out of it," Mr. Pelpuo said.

One touch victory for Mahama

On presidential election this year, Wa Central MP Rasheed Pelpuo said the NDC government has done enough to win this year’s election on the first round. Saying he will be surprised if the elections do not go in favor of the governing National Democratic Congress (NDC). He said John Dramani Mahama is the only president in history who has added more to the power sector than any other President. So I will be surprised if we don’t win in November or December. When Bright Kwesi Asempa the host of Ghana Dadwen reminded him of President’s promise of putting money on Ghanaians pocket and cry by same Ghanaians of no money in the system, Rasheed Pelpuo said government will not put money directly in people’s pocket but create avenues for them to get the money. “My brother lives are being changed, Ghanaians are being transformed but opposition keep painting the picture as if nothing is happening, they are suffering from selective amnesia, were we not in this country when some people made all kinds of promises but came back to us to tell us they don’t know governance is different from being in opposition? He queried.

Ghanaians will be unfair to President Mahama and the NDC government if they don’t return us for another four years because we are doing so much and will continue to change and transform this country.