Eric Opoku Torpedoes NPP’s Propaganda Boat
By Prince Ahenkorah
Minister of Food and Agriculture, Eric Opoku, has pinpointed inadequate leadership and deficient implementation structures as the primary reasons behind the disappointing outcomes of the Planting for Food and Jobs (PFJ) program initiated by the previous regime.
Launched in 2017 during the Akufo-Addo administration, PFJ aimed to enhance the production of selected food crops and promote agricultural profitability. Regrettably, both Phase I and Phase II of the initiative fell short of expectations and did not successfully address the imperative of ensuring national food security.
During an appearance on the Citi Breakfast Show today, April 14, 2025, Eric Opoku emphasized that the absence of effective leadership stymied the program’s success. “When developing an agenda and crafting strategies, a central responsibility is to galvanize support behind the strategy to execute it effectively,” he shared.
“Being clear on my agenda and strategies, it becomes my duty to mobilize stakeholders to ensure execution. If leadership opts out of implementation, desired outcomes are unlikely,” added the minister.
Opoku stressed the crucial role of leadership in achieving results, stating, “Issuing correct instructions and closely monitoring implementation stages can alter the landscape. Otherwise, a cycle of replacing personnel emerges. It all boils down to leadership.”
He further reiterated, “Upon visiting the ministry, the willingness of staff to work is apparent, but effective leadership is essential to extracting optimum performance from them.”
On a separate note, President John Dramani Mahama and the Minister of Food and Agriculture unveiled the Feed Ghana Programme on Saturday, April 12, 2025. This new flagship initiative, with objectives akin to Planting for Food and Jobs, signifies a fresh approach towards enhancing food production, curbing imports, and ensuring sustainable food security.
The program is designed to ramp up agricultural output for domestic consumption, supply raw materials to agro-processing industries, and generate employment opportunities for youth.
It encompasses various sub-projects focusing on vegetables, grains, poultry, oil palm, tubers, and other local substitutes to diminish external reliance and steer the nation towards becoming an export-oriented economy.