Ghanaians Call for Closure of MOFA, Advocate Private Sector Partnership

Dr. Osagyefo Kwame Nkrumah

Ghana, once celebrated for its agricultural strength under the visionary leadership of Dr. Osagyefo Kwame Nkrumah, now stands at a difficult crossroads. While Nkrumah’s era is remembered for food abundance and national self‑sufficiency, many Ghanaians today lament a starkly different reality marked by hunger, food insecurity, and disillusioned farmers.

A growing number of citizens attribute this decline to alleged corruption, inefficiency, and mismanagement within the Ministry of Food and Agriculture (MOFA). Their frustrations have intensified to the point where calls for the ministry’s closure are becoming increasingly widespread.

According to opinion polls conducted by this Correspondent, many Ghanaians view MOFA as a drain on national resources rather than a driver of agricultural progress.

At Offinso, Kofi Annan emphasized that Ghana’s fertile lands hold immense potential to produce abundant food for both domestic consumption and export. Yet, he argued, this potential remains largely untapped due to inadequate support and what he described as the idleness of technical experts within the ministry.

Farmers share similar frustrations. Maame Mansa, a farmer from Ejisu, questioned the relevance of a ministry whose extension officers are rarely seen on the ground. She expressed disappointment that officials continue to draw substantial salaries and allowances while failing to provide the essential guidance farmers need.

In Obuasi, Yaw Nsiah criticized the troubling trend of traders traveling to Burkina Faso to purchase tomatoes and other staples, even as Ghana’s own fertile lands lie unused—often degraded by illegal mining activities. He described this as a glaring failure of land management and agricultural policy.

Ransford Budu from Dunkwa‑on‑Offin in the Central Region was unequivocal in his assessment, describing MOFA as an ineffective government organ that has abandoned its mandate. He cited the ministry’s silence on declining cocoa prices—a matter he considers critical to the nation’s agricultural workforce—as evidence of dereliction of duty. Budu’s stance was a direct call for the ministry’s shutdown.

The concerns extend beyond crop farming. Jones Mingle, a fisherman from Takoradi in the Western Region, highlighted the struggles faced by the fishing community. He too added his voice to the growing calls for MOFA’s dissolution, arguing that the ministry has become a financial burden on the state.

Mingle proposed a clear alternative: shifting toward private sector partnerships to revitalize Ghana’s agricultural sector. He believes such collaborations would ensure efficiency, accountability, and tangible benefits for all Ghanaians—unlike the current system, which many view as wasteful and ineffective.

As public dissatisfaction grows, the debate over MOFA’s future is intensifying. Whether the government will respond with reforms, restructuring, or a bold shift toward private partnerships remains to be seen. What is clear, however, is that many Ghanaians are demanding a new direction for the nation’s agricultural future.