No rift between Agric and Finance Ministries — Eric Opoku dispels rumours

Minister of Food and Agriculture Eric Opoku has debunked rumors of tensions between his ministry and the Ministry of Finance, stating that both are committed to the government's Reset Agenda. Speaking at a press conference in Accra, Mr. Opoku emphasized that misunderstandings and miscommunication can occur between institutions but do not indicate that one ministry is opposing the other.

He clarified that the two ministries are working towards the same national development goals, as outlined in the Reset Agenda under President Mahama. Mr. Opoku acknowledged that such misunderstandings can occur, even within personal relationships and smaller groups, but stressed that this does not mean a separation in efforts. He implored the public not to interpret the presence of disagreements between ministries as evidence that some are working against others.

Regarding rice imports, Mr. Opoku dismissed the idea of a complete import ban, noting that domestic production currently fulfills 56% of Ghana's rice needs. The remaining 44% gap would require imports while the government strives for self-sufficiency in rice production by 2028. He explained that Ghana imports food due to insufficient domestic production and that regulating imports rather than banning them is the preferable approach. The government's goal remains achieving rice self-sufficiency by the set deadline.