Flagbearer hopeful of the New Patriotic Party (NPP), Kennedy Agyapong, says that, if he wins the NPP’s internal elections and subsequently becomes president, he is going to move the Ministry of Food and Agriculture to Tamale in the Northern Region.
He says his government will place a premium on the production of vegetables in the Northern Region and export them directly to the European Market from the Tamale Airport.
In his view, this is one of the ways to wean Ghana off the reliance on the International Monetary Fund (IMF) and the World Bank for support.
Speaking on Spear FM in the Savannah Region, as part of his campaign, the businessman and former lawmaker for Assin Central said, “If we can solve unemployment problems, then we don’t need people who think they are highly educated, and they can go to the IMF and the World Bank for loans.
“Anytime you go to the IMF for loans, it means you have failed your people. If you go to the World Bank for loans, you have failed your people.”
He further suggested that a huge investment in agriculture is one of the surest ways to provide jobs for the youth and also to develop the economy.
“I think we can use the lands here for agriculture and the value chain for the agro-processing industry. This is what we have to focus on in this country.
“There are so many things we can do. What I want to do for the people in the North is to move the Ministry of Agriculture to Tamale, the Northern Region.
“I am also thinking about one more ministry that I will move to the North. Why the Agriculture Ministry in Tamale is that Tamale is the centre. We are going to produce a lot of vegetables and export them to the European market. From Tamale to London is about five hours, so by the time the British wake up in the morning, all our pineapples, carrots and vegetables are on their market. This is how we are going to free ourselves from the IMF and the World Bank.”