Economist at the University of Ghana Business School, Prof. Patrick Asuming believes government’s plan to raise GH¢8 billion to combat and provide relief to drought affected communities, is just an impulsive and reactive response to the situation after neglecting the menace for years.
Minister of Finance, Dr. Amin Adam on Monday, August 26, 2024, in an engagement with the media announced that his ministry has been directed to raise US$500 million equivalent to GH¢8 billion to provide relief and implement measures for farmers affected by the ongoing drought.
The amount is partly aimed at importing food into the country to avert possible food insecurity that might emanate from the dry spell. Of the GH¢8 billion allocated, GH¢2.5 billion will be sourced from the contingency fund, while an additional GH¢2.4 billion will come from development partners.
But in an interview with The High Street Journal, Prof. Asuming described the drought as a “karma situation” after years of lack of proper investment in agriculture. He believes the government is bearing the brunt of years of neglect and misplaced priorities when it comes to issues of agriculture.
Prof. Asuming explains that, “this is clearly a knee-jerk reaction to a problem that we should have solved long time ago. Where was the government when there have been complaints throughout the year about investment in agriculture and food production and then suddenly this drought hit.”
The economist is disturbed that a problem that requires a well-thought-through solution is now being tackled impulsively which might not deal with the situation holistically and permanently.
“I have no idea how you are going to solve it with GH¢8 billion in a short space of time. It looks like this is just going to be another attempt to funnel procurement economy because frankly, I’m quite shocked to hear what has been said,” he expressed his disappointment.
The move by the government, Prof. Asuming is convinced is more politically motivated given that the election is just months away. He adds that given the impulsive and reactive nature of the move by the government, he is not so much convinced that the actual problem of properly transforming agriculture would be dealt with despite the huge sums of money involved.
“I don’t think this is the genuine attempt to solve the problem. I think it’s just clearly election is around the corner. It’s an attempt to portray that the government is attending to the interest, addressing the issue by addressing the issues of farmers,” he indicated.
“If you had $500 million to invest in agriculture, is this what you want to use it for?” he quizzed. He added “this is just probably a politically motivated reaction to a problem that should have been addressed long term. We will spend this money and I’m not sure that the problem will be addressed.”
The current drought has severely impacted the northern regions. The situation has been further exacerbated by the spillage of the Bagre Dam which has also submerged large acres of farmlands. These regions account for approximately 62% of Ghana’s grain production making the problem a significant concern. The lack of rain over the past two months has highlighted the urgent need for attention from all stakeholders.
