Aspiring Presidential candidate for the National Democratic Congress (NDC), Dr. Kwabena Duffuor says National Food Buffer Stock Company Limited will be decentralized to all sixteen regions of Ghana to provide food security and create jobs.
He said the company established by NDC under the late John Evans Atta Mills government when he [Dr. Duffuor] was Finance minister was originally planned to be in every region to buy food stuffs from farmers during bumper harvest to address post-harvest losses and provide a ready market for farmers.
The former governor of the Central Bank said the Akufo-Addo led New Patriotic Party government does not understand the Buffer stock concept because it is struggling to make it vibrant to address food scarcity and skyrocketing food prices.
“We left office shortly after establishing the National Buffer stock company so we only have one office located in Accra. We planned to build offices in every region to provide a market for our farmers. When traveling you see farmers on the roadside looking for buyers. If their food stuffs are not bought, it goes to waste. So farmers in this country continue to Suffer. We will make sure we build a National Buffer Stock office in every region when we come to power. How licenses are issued for purchase of cocoa. That is what we are going to do with Buffer stock. We will buy all the food for storage.”
National Food Buffer Stock Company Limited was incorporated under the Companies Code of Ghana, 1963, Act 179 on 11th March 2010.
It is a Limited Liability Company wholly owned by the government of Ghana.
The Mission of NAFCO is to ensure the security of farmers and insulate them against losses resulting from anticipated increases in the production of cereals, including maize, rice, and soya bean, in order to stabilize prices on the local market as well as earn foreign exchange in support of government and private sector efforts, through sound commercial practices within the parameters of socially, legally and ethically acceptable norms of trade.
However, Dr. Duffuor says the NPP has lost track of this mission.
He mocked the governing party for turning the premises of the ministries in Accra into a market center in the peak of high food inflation last year.
“Recently NPP transported foodstuffs to Ministries to sell. Is the ministry a market? Clearly, they don’t understand the Buffer stock concept we introduced”.
Dr. Kwabena Duffuor said this when addressing delegates of the NDC in Koforidua on the first day of his 4-day campaign tour to the Eastern region.
He assured the NDC delegates that members of the party will not be left out when job opportunities are created through National Buffer stock company.
Dr. Kwabena Duffuor had assured that regardless of the extent of damage caused to the economy by the Akufo-Addo led government, the NDC under his leadership will turn the economy around.
He said he has a proven track record of implementing policies that led to single digit inflation, sustainable economic growth, job creation and poverty reduction therefore when given the nod to lead the NDC to victory in 2024, he will transform the economy.
“We have done it before during late Atta Mills era we inherited terrible economy but by the grace of God and fact that NDC had competent people, the Economy was turned around .so be patient .Regardless the state in which Akufo-Addo will leave the economy, we will turn it around .They have borrowed all over the world .They know how to secure loans but they don’t know how to pay. Now they are begging. This is a shame. They are going round begging”.
Dr. Duffuor continued “We will fix the economy and create more jobs for the youth to get employment opportunities. Just be patient. Don’t be thinking so much about the economic mess created to get blood pressure. In 2008/2009 we did it. Inflation came down to 8.5 for about 31 months, unemployment dropped to 2.2%. It will happen again so don’t be sad” former governor of the Central Bank, recognized as one of the four best central governors in the world in 1999 assured.
He urged all delegates to Vote for him in the May 13 Presidential Primaries.
Source: Ghana/Starrfm.com.gh/103.5FM/Kojo Ansah
