The sustainability of government’s Planting for Food and Jobs initiative is currently under threat due to the high rate of fertiliser smuggling to neighbouring countries Burkina Faso and Togo.
According to the Director of Crop Services at the Ministry of Food and Agriculture (MoFA), Seth Osei-Akoto, fertiliser smuggling which poses significant threat to the success of the initiative has been identified in 21 districts and municipalities in five regions across the country.
Districts within which the menace is reported to be prevalent include six districts in the Upper East Region – Bawku Municipal, Bawku West, Garu, Tempane, Kasena Nankan and Pusiga.
In the Upper West Region, Sissala East and Sissala West municipals, Nandom, Lambusie, Nadowli Kaleo and Lawra districts as well as two districts in the Northern Region, Saboba and Tatale districts; two in North East Region, Chereponi and Bunkpurugu Nakpanduri districts; and five in the Volta Region – Ketu North, Ketu South, Akatsi North, Agotime-Ziope and Ho West districts.
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“The number of PFJ fertiliser retailers and distributors in these zones will be reduced to curtail the menace, while the various regional security councils have also been called upon to help fight the threat,” averred Mr Osei-Akoto during a policy dialogue and sensitisation on the 2021 PFJ implementation strategy.
Further noting that the act is being perpetuated by a cartel in the Northern regions of the country.
“In the North, some of these smugglers load fertiliser on donkeys. These animals are able to enter Burkina Faso unaided, to deliver the fertiliser. I was there; I saw some of these things, but I can’t question the donkeys,” he stated.
“And this is causing the State millions of Ghana cedis and also threatening the food security of the country,” he added.
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Corroborating the assertion made by Mr Osei-Akoto was the Head of Programmes and Advocacy of the Peasant Farmers Association of Ghana (PFAG), Dr. Charles Nyaaba, who stated that the menace has undeniably lingered for long.
In a monitoring report, Dr. Nyaaba said fertiliser dealers, security officers, opinion leaders and Nation Builders’ Corp (NABCO) personnel all form part of the smuggling syndicate.
PFAG has therefore made a call for increased collaboration with traditional leaders, police officers, farmer groups, assembly members and citizens to further improve monitoring at the community level to curb the menace.
