Agriculture Investments Still Minimal

Mr Samuel Nyamekye Adofo, the Public Relations Officer of the Sunyani office of the IFS Financial Service, on Thursday observed that national investment in agriculture remained minimal in the past years.

He said the sector contributed hugely to Ghana's Gross Domestic Product (GDP), hence the need for the government to invest much into agriculture, not only to improve on the country's foreign exchange earnings, but also guarantee national food security.

Mr Adofo was speaking with the Ghana News Agency (GNA) in an interview in Sunyani on Thursday in reaction to the 2018 budget statement presented to Parliament by the Minister of Finance and Economic Planning, Mr Ken Ofori Atta on Wednesday.

He observed that technology was fast advancing, adding that if the country's agricultural sector was not modernised, in few years the sector's contribution to the GDP would be insignificant.

Mr Adofo lauded the implementation of the Planting for Food and Jobs programme, saying the initiative taken by the government would yield positive outcomes in the coming years.

He indicated that many of the teeming unemployed youth would develop the interest and engage in agriculture if the sector was made attractive.

Mr Adofo observed that post harvest losses remained a daunting challenge in the agricultural sector, as vegetables like fresh tomatoes, garden eggs, onions and fruits such as watermelon, mango and orange got rotten during bumper harvest.

This was because there were no storage facilities, whilst ready markets for the crops were also not there, he stated.

Mr Adofo was also unhappy about the inaccessibility of roads to farm gates to enabled farmers to cart their produce to marketing centres in urban areas for sale.

On Taxation, he indicated that multiplicity of taxes had become problematic in all sectors of the economy and appealed to government to do something about it, so that the private sector as the engine of economic growth would do well and contribute significantly to the local economy.

Mr Kofi Boteng, the Deputy Brong-Ahafo Regional Secretary of the New Patriotic Party (NPP), told the GNA that projections in the 2018 budget would drive the economy forward.

He said with the reduction in electricity tariffs, private sector performed well and contributed meaningfully in reviving the battered economy.

Mr Boateng said as the government minimised borrowing, the financial capacities of rural banks and other national banks would be strengthened and that would enable them to give enough financial assistance to the private sector.

Currently, he said the country had a housing deficit of 1.7 million, adding that to address the shortfall the government would from next year embark on a project to constructing 10,000 houses in every region.

Mr Boateng emphasised that national reconstruction process was on course and entreated Ghanaians to exercise patience as the government implemented social policies that would better the lot of people.

Meanwhile, business entities in the Sunyani Municipality have expressed dismay about high electricity tariffs which remained a huge impediment in the growth of the businesses.

According to them, the high power charges were gradually affecting their businesses and were hopeful that the proposed reduction of the charges contained in the 2018 budget would take off as soon as possible.

The businesses mostly made up of cold stores and restaurant operators, barbering as well as hairdressing salons, dressmaking and tailoring shops appealed to the government to remain focused in the fulfillment of the manifesto pledges and all other promises.