President John Dramani Mahama has directed the Minister of Finance, Dr. Cassiel Ato Forson, to release an additional GH₵200 million to purchase surplus maize from farmers affected by the ongoing crop glut.
The directive comes amid mounting concerns from farmers nationwide over the surplus of maize, rice, and eggs, which has caused significant post-harvest losses and economic hardship across the agricultural sector.
Speaking at the launch of the Nkoko Nkitinkiti Poultry Initiative on Wednesday, November 12, President Mahama said the government had previously released GH₵100 million to address the maize glut, but the issue persisted—necessitating further intervention.
He explained that the new allocation is part of government’s broader strategy to reduce food wastage, boost national food security, and ensure that surplus produce is preserved for use during periods of shortage.
“I have directed the Minister of Finance to release an extra GH₵200 million to buy and stock the excess maize so it can serve the country in the future,” President Mahama said.
He also announced additional measures to support local farmers affected by the rice and egg glut, directing the National Buffer Stock Company to purchase local rice and the Ghana School Feeding Programme to incorporate eggs into students’ meals.
“I have also instructed Buffer Stock to purchase rice from our local farmers to prevent losses. For eggs, I have asked the managers of the school feeding programme to include eggs in student meals,” he added.
President Mahama reaffirmed his administration’s commitment to supporting farmers, stabilising agricultural markets, and safeguarding the country’s food supply chain, stressing that “no Ghanaian farmer should suffer losses because they produced in abundance.”
