Growing agric sector could halt Ghana’s dependence on IMF, says Afriyie Akoto
Appearing on the Asaase Breakfast Show, Akoto said the agriculture sector has the potential to turn around the economic fortunes of the country
Dr Owusu Afriyie Akoto, the immediate past minister of food and agriculture is optimistic that Ghana can halt its dependence on the International Monetary Fund (IMF) if it gives more attention to develop the agriculture sector.
Appearing on the Asaase Breakfast Show on Wednesday (15 March), Akoto said the agriculture sector has the potential to turn around the economic fortunes of the country.
“To be permanently out of the hands of these international institutions and bilateral donors we must focus on the agric sector; the literature is clear from which sector developed nations focused their energy,” he said.
“We’ve been mining gold for over 100 years, what has that gotten us. Oil same, we’re still in the hands of the IMF,” Akoto told the host Kwaku Nhyira-Addo.
“We’ve been borrowing heavily on the Eurobond market for the past few years. So, we shouldn’t go on that illusion that mining will take us out. We discovered oil during former president Kufuor’s time, what has that gotten us? Has it gotten us out of the clutches of the IMF?” Akoto asked.
Watch excerpts of the interview in the attached video clip below:
Reporting by Fred Dzakpata in Accra
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