NDC defends government’s fertiliser distribution to smallholder farmers
NDC communicator says the fertiliser allocation is a targeted support package for smallholder farmers and part of broader efforts to boost agricultural productivity.
The Deputy Communications Officer of the National Democratic Congress (NDC) in the Navrongo Central Constituency, Alhassan Abubakari Suwaidu, has defended the government’s decision to distribute 1,500 bags of fertiliser to each agricultural constituency, describing the initiative as a targeted intervention designed to support smallholder farmers.
Speaking on the Big Mike Breakfast Show on Friday, July 10, Suwaidu said the fertiliser distribution forms part of the government’s broader efforts to improve agricultural productivity and should not be confused with the Feed Ghana Programme, which he said is being rolled out in phases.
According to him, the intervention is specifically intended to benefit smallholder farmers, who constitute the backbone of the country’s agricultural sector.
“This is a targeted initiative aimed at supporting people engaged in small-scale farming. It is not meant for all categories of farmers; it is specifically designed for smallholder farmers,” he said.
Suwaidu noted that the government has also recruited 506 agricultural technical officers to strengthen extension services and provide farmers with the technical support needed to improve yields and adopt modern farming practices.
He expressed confidence that all 276 constituencies would receive their allocations and urged the media, farmers and relevant stakeholders to monitor the distribution process to ensure transparency and accountability.
“I am certain that all the 276 constituencies are going to receive the fertiliser. This government is committed to ensuring the equitable distribution of national resources,” he stated.
Responding to concerns that only about 4,000 bags of fertiliser had reportedly reached the Upper East Region, Suwaidu attributed the situation to implementation challenges rather than a failure of government policy.
He called on oversight institutions and the media to play an active role in tracking the distribution to ensure that the fertiliser reaches its intended beneficiaries.
“The government is doing the right thing. Perhaps those responsible for ensuring accountability are not doing enough. The media must continue to investigate and help ensure that the fertiliser reaches the smallholder farmers for whom it is intended,” he added.
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