Arise Ghana, a Civil Society pressure group dedicated to holding government accountable, has undertaken an independent site tour of selected agricultural projects and programmes in the North Tongu District of the Volta Region to verify claims by the Ministry of Food and Agriculture (MoFA) about interventions being implemented in the district.

The exercise, conducted on September 3, 2026, followed a press conference organised by the group in which it announced plans to independently assess government’s agricultural initiatives across the country.

Leading Member of Arise Ghana, Selorm Dramani Dzramado, said the exercise was part of the group’s responsibility to track promises made by the government and provide honest feedback where necessary.

He explained that although Arise Ghana had openly supported President John Dramani Mahama before he assumed office, the group remained an independent pressure organisation and would not hesitate to point out shortcomings in government’s performance.

“We are not a praise-singing pressure group. We are a critical, independent, objective civil society group helping government to get access to honest feedback that they will work with,” Dzramado said.

He explained that the North Tongu visit was intended to provide “naked ocular evidence” of whether projects announced by the Ministry of Agriculture existed and were being implemented.

The group visited the Aveyime irrigation project, where it confirmed that government was rehabilitating the previously dormant irrigation facility.

Dzramado said the finding was significant because government had promised to revive dormant irrigation schemes as part of efforts to move agriculture away from dependence on rainfall and promote year-round farming.

He said the group also visited beneficiaries of the Nkoko Nkitinkiti programme and found evidence that the initiative was benefiting farmers.

According to him, the visit had changed his initial scepticism about some government claims, describing the performance of the Minister of Food and Agriculture, Eric Opoku, as satisfactory.

North Tongu District Chief Executive, Victoria Amefadzi Yawa Doe, said government was supporting farmers through the rehabilitation of the Aveyime irrigation sites, distribution of 10,000 birds to more than 220 farmers and the provision of fertiliser.

She said 6,000 bags of fertiliser would be distributed to farmers between September 8 and 10, comprising 5,000 bags from the Member of Parliament for North Tongu, Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa, and 1,000 bags from the Assembly.

She added that registered farmers interested in coconut cultivation were also being provided with seedlings.

The Assembly, she said, was attracting private investment into banana, maize, wheat, vegetable and poultry production, alongside sugarcane and cassava processing.

She appealed to investors to consider North Tongu, citing its fertile lands, water resources and closeness to the Volta River.

The Assembly also plans to establish a district farm to promote agricultural production.

North Tongu District Agriculture Director, Yaw Boateng, said the district initially received 10,000-day-old chicks under the Nkoko Nkitinkiti programme.

Following the mortality of about 100 chicks during brooding, more than 9,000 birds were eventually distributed to selected beneficiaries across the district.

He said both broilers and cockerels were distributed, with beneficiaries recording successes despite some challenges.

Veterinary Officer for the Aveyime Zone, Lazarus Magbit, said some birds had started laying eggs while the cockerels were already approaching market size.

He, however, identified early feed shortages, bird mortality and inadequate vaccination coverage as challenges.

Some farmers had expected layers but received a mixture of layers and cockerels. He called for complete vaccination packages in future to ensure adequate protection of the birds.

The group also visited Harry Agro Company, a private sugar-processing investment.

Dzramado said the investors attributed their decision to invest partly to the enabling environment created by government.

The company intends to contribute significantly to domestic sugar production, reduce sugar imports and create employment.

According to the investors, the project is expected to employ about 250 people daily and generate approximately 5,000 additional jobs through ancillary activities.

Dzramado said such investments could help address Ghana’s growing youth unemployment challenge.

Arise Ghana described the interventions as satisfactory and said it would formally present its recommendations to the Minister of Food and Agriculture, Eric Opoku, after completing its assessment, with further site visits expected in other parts of the country.





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