MOFA to overhaul structures to ensure efficiency

Tamale, Oct. 16, GNA - The Northern Regional Directorate of the Ministry of Food and Agriculture (MOFA) in its quest to improve food production is embarking on an internal overhaul of its structures to enhance efficiency and to ensure food security.

The Ministry has appealed to all agriculture-related agencies to adopt realistic and pragmatic approaches and strategies to address the problem of food insecurity.

Mr Sylvester Adongo, Northern Regional Director of MOFA made this known in an address read for him at the Regional celebration of the 23rd "World Food Day" in Tamale on Thursday.

The celebration was on the theme: "Alliance against hunger." Mr Adongo said to promote food security in Northern Ghana the Regional Directorate was organizing a two-day workshop on "Change management" for 26 District Directors of the Ministry drawn from the Northern, Upper East and Upper West Regions.

He noted that change was the single most important element of any successful business and organizational management today, saying, "we therefore need to change in our outlook, strategies and approaches to be an effective and efficient alliance against hunger." More

Mr Adongo entreated the participants to attach great importance to the workshop to be able to acquire a better understanding of change management that would assist them to facilitate the implementation of the Ministry's policies and strategies towards improving food security. Mr Ernest Debrah Northern Regional Minister in a speech read for him, said the government under the Agricultural Sub-Sector Investment Programme (AgSSIP) aimed at increasing the growth of agricultural productivity and improving incomes as the driving force for reducing rural poverty and food security.

He said it was in line with this objective that AgSSIP had started the reforming and strengthening of the Ministry for effective delivery by developing farmer based organizations and enhancing effective agricultural teaching and training at all levels. The Minister bemoaned the fact that good plans and programmes are produced but the implementers fail to manage them and urged the Ministry to back up these programmes with managerial skills to be able to achieve the set objectives.

Mr Debrah called on NGOs, District Assemblies and philanthropists to liaise with the Ministry in drawing up comprehensive programmes that would make food security for the country a reality. He observed: "When these related organizations work in isolation they do not only duplicate their efforts but also make ineffective use of their resources".