Security analyst Adib Saani has backed the move to deploy security personnel to border towns to prevent grain smuggling to neighbouring countries.....KINDLY READ THE FULL STORY HERE▶
Saani stressed to YEN that the grain shortage should be considered a humanitarian and food security problem.
Citi News reported that farmers in Ghana’s northern sector are contending with the prolonged drought that decimated grain harvests.
“There is always the tendency of smuggling when the commodity is subsidied or cheaper in one country… a clear case in point is fertilizer, which is heavily subsidised by the government.”
The analyst noted that the smugglers are likely to use unapproved routes and even collaborate with state officials in some cases.
He thus said collaboration and intelligence sharing will be critical in these efforts.
“We need to cooperate with our neighbours so we share intelligence in real time,” Saani said.
Why is the government banning grain exports?
The government banned the export of grains like rice, maize, and soy due to the ongoing dry spell that affected the country’s northern regions.
Bryan Acheampong, the agriculture minister, announced the ban during a press briefing on Monday, August 27.
Acheampong said the ban is to prevent a shortage of crops on the domestic market.
The minister urged farmers with grain stocks to contact district directors, aggregators, and the crops directorate nationwide to sell their grains.
Finance minister wants GH¢500m for drought-hit farmers
YEN reported that finance minister Dr Mohammed Amin Adam has urged Parliament to approve the withdrawal of GH¢500 million from the Contingency Fund.
According to him, the withdrawal is to support the government’s emergency response to the ongoing drought in the country’s northern half.
He also said the government is mobilising support from other development partners and realigning approved fiscal operations in the 2024 budget.
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