The Presidential Candidate of the All People’s Party (APC), Dr. Hassan Ayariga, has pledged to end the country’s reliance on imported fertilizers by promoting the use of Ghanaian-made alternatives.
Speaking at the launch of the APC’s 2024 manifesto, Ayariga unveiled his vision to revamp Ghana’s agricultural sector, emphasizing that the nation is fully capable of producing what it needs.
“We spend over $1.2 billion in rice importation, $900 million importing fish. Meanwhile, we are capable of growing those industries ourselves,” he declared, highlighting the urgent need to reduce dependence on foreign imports.
Ayariga insisted that it is time for Ghana to harness its abundant resources to develop sustainable local industries.
“We cannot have all the resources and keep importing,” he stressed.
“We will make fertilizers on our own,” Ayariga stated confidently. He explained that producing fertilizers locally would be a key step towards achieving self-sufficiency and reducing the financial burden of imports.
Beyond agriculture, Ayariga criticized the ruling New Patriotic Party (NPP) flagship programs, such as the One District, One Factory initiative and the Planting for Food and Jobs policy.
While he acknowledged their potential, he argued that they had not been effectively implemented. “I believe in the NPP party’s 1D1F, I believe in planting for food and jobs, but it was not properly implemented,” he said, underscoring his intent to improve on these strategies.
He also outlined plans to create a manufacturing hub in Ghana, aiming to rejuvenate the struggling textile industry.
“We import almost everything,” he lamented, promising to improve transportation networks to facilitate the efficient distribution of farm produce and manufactured goods across the country.
