Mohammed Abdul Aziz has called for a strong focus on agricultural investment in the 2025 budget, stressing that Ghana cannot continue to rely on food imports, particularly from neighbouring countries.
The former MP for Mion expressed concern over Ghana’s high dependence on imported food, stating, “We import about $2 billion worth of food annually. How on earth can we be importing tomatoes from a Sahelian country like Burkina Faso?”
According to him, the upcoming budget will address this issue by prioritizing key agricultural projects, including the construction of the Pwalugu irrigation dam, which he believes will significantly boost local food production.
“If President Mahama could secure funding for the Atuabo Gas Plant, which cost around a billion dollars, then mobilizing the required funds for the Pwalugu dam is entirely possible,” he asserted in an interview on MyNewsGh monitored by MyNewsGh.
Abdul Aziz also highlighted the NDC’s “Big Push” agenda, which allocates $10 billion over five years for infrastructure development, with a portion dedicated to agricultural improvements.
He further emphasized that investment in local food production is essential for job creation and economic stability, stating, “If we want to create jobs for the youth and reduce our reliance on imports, then agriculture must be at the center of our economic policies.”
With expectations mounting ahead of the budget presentation, Abdul Aziz believes that Ghana can move towards food self-sufficiency through strategic government interventions and private sector engagement.
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