The Minister for Finance, Dr. Mohammed Amin Adam has announced that the government has allocated 8 billion Ghana Cedis to provide relief and some mitigative measures for the farmers affected by the dry spell.
“Our response may not entirely neutralise the extent of the problem. But our response certainly will help in stabilising the situation until we get out of the crisis. And so as the Honourable Minister for Food and Agriculture said, we are seeking to raise about 500 million U.S. dollars, the equivalent of 8 billion Ghana Cedis, to fund the crisis response programme”, the minister emphasised
The package includes cash transfers and a supply of food and other relief items to affected farmers.
He added that a technical task force comprising the Ministries of Finance and the Food and Agriculture will monitor the distribution of the relief items to ensure fairness and accountability.
Dr Amin Adam at a press briefing on Monday, August 26, explained that 2.5 billion out of the 8 billion allocated for the crisis response will be drawn from the contingency fund and 2.4 billion Cedis as support from development partners.
He noted that the support from the World Bank will be used for cash transfers and supply of inputs.
Northern Ghana is currently grappling with a severe drought that has sparked widespread concerns about food security and the livelihood of thousands of farmers.
The region has been without rain for over two months, with the extended dry spell stunting crop growth and leaving farmers with little hope for a successful harvest.
Source: Citi Newsroom
