Minister goofs at agric forum
Reposted from GhanaWeb –
The Deputy Minister of Agriculture has attributed the decline in the agriculture sector’s contribution to the Gross Domestic Product (GDP) to ‘growth’ in the manufacturing sub-sector.
Dr. Alhassan Ahmed Yakubu disclosed this during a panel discussion at the maiden edition of the Joybusiness Busy Talks held on Tuesday in Accra.
Experts have argued that the agriculture sector has been performing poorly in recent times.
According to him, agricultural produce were being used to feed the manufacturing sub-sector, hence the ‘expansion’ of the manufacturing sector, which is being largely stifled by high taxes, utility tariffs and prolonged power crisis.
“Our cassava used to only be used for Fufu and Gari but cassava is now being used to produce beer. Maize was only consumed either as a boiled corn or Banku or say Kenkey is now being used to produce beer,” he claimed.
Challenge
But the Deputy Minister’s assertion was debunked by the Chief Economist* at the African Centre for Economic Transformation (ACET), Dr. Baah-Boateng, who argued vehemently that manufacturing was also on the decline.
Many participants also expressed shock at the deputy minister’s statements, wondering whether he was really abreast with happenings in the agric sector.
*Dr. Baah-Boateng is a Senior Research Fellow at ACET and not the Chief Economist as reported.