Lack of leadership caused failure of Planting for Food and Jobs – Eric Opoku

Eric Opoku is the Minister for Food and Agriculture. He blames poor leadership for the failure of the Planting for Food and Jobs (PFJ) programme. This initiative was introduced by the previous administration in 2017. Its goal was to boost food crop production and promote agriculture as a profitable business.

According to Opoku, both Phase I and Phase II of PFJ had limited results. They did not achieve national food security as intended. On April 12, 2025, President John Dramani Mahama launched the Feed Ghana Programme. This new initiative aims to improve food production and reduce imports.

Speaking on the Citi Breakfast Show on April 14, Opoku highlighted leadership issues in the previous programme. He stated that effective leadership is crucial for achieving meaningful outcomes. "When you have an agenda, you must rally people behind it," he said.

Opoku emphasized that mobilizing support is essential for success. If leaders do not participate in implementation, results will suffer. He believes proper instructions and monitoring can change outcomes significantly.

He noted that some ministry staff are eager to work but need strong leadership. "Leadership must be there to ensure we get the best out of them," he concluded.