But then, the linear curve was struck by incidents such as food shortages which investigative teams discovered to be a loot by traders from neighboring countries to meet critical demands back home. Even in that crisis, Ghana could be gleaned as doing something right. The dearth intensified in the inflationary whirlwind driven by a myriad of factors, the externals inclusive.
In defiance of criticisms, Dr. Owusu Afriyie Akoto created the temporal PFJ food markets where high public patronage put the stamp on the initiative as a welcome alternative to the soaring prices on the open market. The former minister had argued that farm produce had been padded with costs once they were lifted from farm gates to the market centers. He was not left off the hook for blaming the trend on artificial inflation.
In spite of all these, there is no question about food availability in Ghana. Dr. Owusu Afriyie-Akoto also broke new ground in the cash crop sub-sector by creating an organization to mobilize six other cash crops for high-valued exports. He reckoned if Cocoa could rake 2 billion dollars for Ghana annually, the bigger picture could earn Ghana 14 billion within the same period.
Whilst in the driving seat, Dr. Afriyie-Akoto stepped down to contest for the flagbearer position of the New Patriotic Party. He says he will form an agricultural management team headed by the president of the republic if he gets the opportunity to serve the country from the very top. That will replicate a practice in the 1970s in which Ghana’s Head of State Gen. Ignatius Kutu Acheampong was the discreet head of the agricultural ministry because he cherished the sector.
Col. Bernarsko was the Commissioner for Agriculture during the Acheampong military regime, appreciated as successful in agriculture where a flagship program ”operation feed yourself” made a great impact.
