Articles by Clara Seshie

Business

President Mahama directs Finance Minister to release extra GH₵200m to tackle maize glut

President John Mahama has ordered the Minister of Finance, Dr Cassiel Ato Forson, to release an additional GH₵200 million to buy surplus maize from farmers affected by the ongoing glut across the country. This move forms part of the government’s wider plan to curb food wastage, strengthen national food security, and preserve surplus produce for future use. Speaking at the launch of the Nkoko Nkitinkiti Poultry Initiative in Kumasi, President Mahama said the government had already released GH₵100 million to address the situation, but the funds were not enough to clear the surplus. “Our farmers are worried. There’s a glut on the market, so I asked the Finance Minister to provide GH₵100 to the National Buffer Stock Company to buy up the surplus maize so that when there’s a shortage later in the year, it can be released. They have finished purchasing with the first GH₵100 million, but there’s still a lot of maize on the market and prices remain low.” He explained that with prices continuing to fall and farmers unable to make profits, the government had decided to take further action. “I’ve directed the Finance Minister to release an additional GH₵200 million to buy the remaining glut and store it for future use,” he stated. President Mahama added that the same approach would be applied to other crops, including rice. “It is the same situation with rice. I’ve instructed the Buffer Stock Company to purchase the excess and keep it as well,” he said. The President also mentioned measures to support poultry farmers. “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. He reaffirmed his government’s commitment to supporting farmers, stabilising agricultural markets, and protecting the nation’s food supply chain, stressing that “no Ghanaian farmer should suffer losses simply because they produced in abundance.”

4 hours ago

Technology

El-Wak Tragedy: Gender Minister calls for gender-sensitive approach in future recruitments

Minister for Gender, Children and Social Protection, Agnes Naa Momo Lartey, has called on the Ghana Armed Forces (GAF) to take gender differences into account during future recruitment exercises following the tragic deaths of six young women at El-Wak Stadium. Speaking during a visit to victims of the stampede on Thursday, November 14, the Minister said the incident highlighted the need for security institutions to adopt a more gender-sensitive approach in their operations. “I was telling the senior female officers that even in this day and age, when there’s so much awareness of gender issues, we still have challenges when it comes to recruitment and employment,” she said. The Minister urged the military to draw lessons from the experience and make the necessary changes to protect applicants, especially women, during future recruitment drives. “I was encouraging them that based on the experiences they’ve had, they should lessen the walk through these military processes and recruitment for their upcoming ones,” she said. She said that gender considerations must become a key part of all national processes. “It is about time that in every facet of our lives, we look at it from a gender perspective or put on a gender lens to view everything,” she said. The Minister noted that although both men and women participated in the recruitment exercise, the women suffered the most. “You realise that most people were there, but the most affected sex is the female sex, and you ask yourself why, because even though we are all human beings, our biological makeups are different.” Madam Lartey added that acknowledging these differences is not about inequality but about fairness and safety. “Inasmuch as we want to say that everybody is the same, we want that gender consideration to be given to women where it matters most,” she said.

4 hours ago

Sports

Photos from GAF’s recruitment exercise at El-Wak Sports Stadium

The Ghana Armed Forces (GAF) held its recruitment exercise in Accra on Wednesday, November 12, at the El-Wak Sports Stadium. GAF explained that the decentralised approach is intended to give equal opportunity to all eligible applicants, regardless of their location. Tragically, the exercise turned deadly when a stampede occurred at the stadium, leaving six job seekers dead. Several others sustained injuries and are currently receiving treatment. Despite the incident, many hopeful applicants remain outside the stadium, awaiting their turn amid heightened tensions and safety concerns. The stampede happened ahead of the scheduled screening for the 2025/2026 recruitment cycle. Myjoyonline's photojournalist, David Andoh, was at the recruitment centre and captured these photos.

1 days ago

World

Mahama launches “Nkoko Nkitinkiti” initiative to boost food security and livelihoods

President John Dramani Mahama has officially launched the "Nkoko Nkitinkiti" initiative, a nationwide programme aimed at transforming household poultry production and revitalising Ghana’s poultry industry. Speaking at the launch in Kumasi on Wednesday, November 12, the president described the initiative as a bold and practical step towards achieving food self-sufficiency and empowering communities. He said that the project was “more than just a government intervention,” calling it “a national movement, a courageous step towards restoring food self-sufficiency, strengthening household resilience, and fostering sustainable livelihoods for tens of thousands of Ghanaians, especially women, youth, and vulnerable families across our country.” The "Nkoko Nkitinkiti" initiative forms a key part of the Poultry Industry Revitalisation Programme, which itself is a flagship component of the broader Feed Ghana Programme, a national plan designed to drive agricultural transformation, food sovereignty, and shared prosperity. President Mahama said the decline of Ghana’s once vibrant poultry sector, citing persistent challenges such as high feed costs, limited access to improved breeds, inadequate processing capacity, and heavy dependence on imports. “In 2023 alone, Ghana spent over $350 million importing poultry products. That is a drain on our foreign exchange and a missed opportunity for our farmers and entrepreneurs. We must, and we will, reverse this trend.” According to him, the time has come for Ghana “to reclaim the pride of producing, processing, and consuming what we ourselves grow.” President Mahama said the Feed Ghana Programme is built on a three-pronged strategy aimed at restoring the poultry value chain from the household level to commercial production. He said the first component, the Poultry Farm-to-Table Project, would support 50 anchor farmers selected from across the country. “Each of these 50 anchor farmers will receive 80,000 birds, housing, logistics, and technical support. Together, they are expected to produce 4 million birds. This will boost local feed demand and establish direct market connections between producers and processors.” He added that the second component, supported by the Food Systems Resilience Programme, targets 500 small and medium-scale poultry farmers across all regions. “We are supporting 500 small and medium-scale poultry farmers across all regions to produce 3 million birds, bridging the gap between large-scale farmers and community-based producers.” He described the third and most community-driven aspect as the "Nkoko Nkitinkiti" or Backyard Poultry for Nutrition and Livelihoods initiative, which seeks to bring poultry farming directly into homes, schools, and communities. “This initiative is designed to bring poultry production directly to the doorsteps of every Ghanaian in homes, in schools, and in communities across the country. Vulnerable households will receive pullets and starter packs to initiate production, transforming subsistence into self-sustaining livelihoods.” President Mahama revealed that under this phase, the government will distribute 3 million birds across all 276 constituencies, with each constituency receiving 10,000 birds, benefiting approximately 60,000 households. “Each household participating in the programme will receive 50 birds, field support, and technical guidance to ensure the sustainability of their project. The breeds, pullets, and cockerels have been selected for their resilience, adaptability, and high productivity under local conditions.”

1 days ago