Fertilizer Shortage: Failing To Address Problem May Lead To Famine – Frm Nat’l Best Farmer

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The pressure mounted on the government to settle the debts of Fertilizer Suppliers keeps growing as stakeholders are demanding that government, as a matter of urgency, provide fertilizers for farmers under Planting for Food and Jobs.

The recent major stakeholder to have added his voice to the call is a Former National Best Farmer in 2014.

Mr George Asamoah -Amankwaa is urging the government to make provision fertilizers to farmers since the farming season is already close.

In an exclusive Interview with Sampson Kwame Nyamekye, He said if this problem continues without any stringent measures the probability of experiencing famine in the country is high since the populace will be depending on the few crops available.

For him, currently, farmers are in dire need of fertilizers and contractors are also not providing due to the debts by the government which he said has made many contractors go bankrupt.

Mr Asamoah recalled how the previous government from 2014 to 2016 made fertilizers available to the farmers without payments in view of increasing yield however the subsidy by the current government is still making farmers not have access to fertilizer; a situation he said is affecting farming businesses.

The Past National Farmer is hereby pleading with the government to discuss the issue with Fertilizer contractors to address the shortage of fertilizers.

GOV’T ADMITS OWING FERTILIZER SUPPLIERS FROM 2020, 2021

The Ministry of Food and Agriculture has openly admitted owing Fertilizer Suppliers after these contractors distributed fertilizers to farmers under the Planting for Food and Jobs Programme.

According to a Deputy Minister for Agric, Hon Yaw Frimpong Addo, he said the government still has arrears to be cleared in 2020 after paying part of the money to these contractors but for 2021 nothing was paid to the suppliers.

In an interview on Hellofm’s Boho Biom hosted by Sampson Kwame Nyamekye, the Member of Parliament for Manso Adubia in the Ashanti Region said currently Ghana Government likewise any other government is facing financial challenges hence the cut-off government expenditure at Ministries, agencies and Departments.

“Government is aware and much effort is being done to find fertilizers for our farmers,” he told Sampson.

Fertilizers Suppliers who have been contracted by the government to distribute fertilizers to farmers under the government’s flagship programme Planting for Food and Jobs over some period now have been complaining bitterly over the delay in the government paying their monies

By: Sampson Kwame Nyamekye/ Hello FM/Kumasi