The Minister of Food and Agriculture, Eric Opoku, has accused the Akufo-Addo-led government of leaving behind a trail of debt and economic hardship after eight years in office.
Speaking in an exclusive interview on Accra FM’s The Citizen Show on Friday, August 22, 2025, the minister, who also serves as the Member of Parliament for Asunafo South in the Ahafo Region revealed that his ministry inherited a staggering debt of nine billion Ghana cedis from the previous government.
According to him, the liabilities included arrears for goods and services, as well as, unpaid statutory obligations such as annual membership subscriptions to the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) of the United Nations.
He disclosed that Ghana’s failure to settle these commitments led the FAO to sever ties with the country.
Opoku further revealed that upon assuming office, his ministry discovered an outstanding debt of 27,000 tonnes of cereals owed to the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS).
The matter, he said, was promptly referred to the Ministry of Finance to commission an audit and facilitate the payment of legitimate debts.
Highlighting the importance of the sector, the minister emphasized that the Ministry of Food and Agriculture is central to the government’s flagship 24-Hour Economy initiative.
As part of this agenda, the Feed Ghana programme has been launched to enhance food security and stabilize prices.
“The new programme is aimed at reducing food prices by ensuring affordability, availability, and quality,” he explained.
Comparing the current situation to the past, Opoku noted that food inflation under the Akufo-Addo administration reached a record 61 percent in July 2023, the highest in the Fourth Republic, despite the widely publicized Planting for Food and Jobs initiative.
In contrast, he said, food inflation in 2014, during President John Mahama’s first term, was as low as five percent.
Opoku concluded by affirming the government’s commitment to restoring confidence in the agriculture sector while addressing the debts and challenges inherited from the previous administration.
