The Minority Leader in Parliament, Alexander Afenyo-Markin, has accused government-linked contractors of undermining Ghana’s agricultural sector by importing rice in defiance of directives to prioritise local produce.
Addressing the Kwahu Business Forum on Friday, April 3, 2026, he described the sidelining of local farmers as a deliberate act that threatens national food security efforts.
According to him, despite the government’s public push for a “Buy Ghana” agenda, the reality reflects a systemic preference for imported grains, leaving warehouses of locally produced rice unsold.
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The controversy centres on the Ghana School Feeding Programme, a multi-million-cedi initiative designed to provide a ready market for local rice farmers.
However, Mr. Afenyo-Markin alleged that contractors awarded supply deals under the programme are bypassing local silos in favour of cheaper imported rice.
“Contractors engaged to supply the School Feeding Programme with locally produced rice instead of importing the grains [are] bypassing farmers who had prepared their produce following a direct presidential directive,” he stated.
He warned that the situation has had severe consequences for the rice value chain, with many farmers now saddled with debts and unsold harvests.
The Minority Leader also criticised the lack of transparency at the National Food Buffer Stock Company (NAFCO), noting that despite repeated petitions from agricultural groups, the identities of contractors involved in the imports remain undisclosed.
“The Peasant Farmers Association has repeatedly requested that NAFCO publish the names of those contractors. NAFCO has not responded,” he said. “What has been described is not a market failure. It is a procurement betrayal.”
He indicated that the Minority Caucus will push for a parliamentary inquiry to compel disclosure of all active contracts and beneficiaries within the procurement chain.
Mr. Afenyo-Markin cautioned that such practices not only harm the economy but also erode trust between the government and rural communities.
He stressed that without urgent reforms to ensure state-backed programmes genuinely support local producers, Ghana’s ambition for agricultural self-sufficiency will remain unattainable.
“Let us choose accountability over secrecy,” he said, and urged authorities to align procurement decisions with policy commitments to safeguard farmers’ livelihoods.