Dry spell: Government’s GH¢3K help to farmers justified.

Agriculture Minister Bryan Acheampong has dismissed claims that the government is distributing GH¢3,000 to 800,000 farmers in northern Ghana affected by the recent drought.

The allegations were made by Minority Leader Dr. Cassiel Ato Forson, who accused the government of using the payouts as a political strategy ahead of the December 7 elections. Dr. Forson suggested that the payments were disguised as compensation for farmers who had suffered significant losses due to the drought, which had severely impacted agricultural output in the region. He further claimed that the real intention behind the funds was to influence the voting decisions of the affected farmers in this election year.

However, during a Parliamentary session on Wednesday, October 16, Bryan Acheampong strongly denied these assertions. He clarified that the government had committed to providing GH¢1,000 per farmer, not GH¢3,000, and that the support was specifically aimed at those farmers most impacted by the adverse climate conditions.

Acheampong explained that the GH¢1,000 assistance would come in the form of subsidized agricultural inputs, primarily fertilizers, to help the farmers manage through the difficult period.

“We have never said we are giving GH¢3,000 to any farmer. From the beginning, I made it clear that we would be providing GH¢1,000 per vulnerable farmer. Fertilizers are being distributed to farmers identified in need in each constituency,” he emphasized.