The minister of Food and Agriculture, Dr. Owusu Afriyie Akoto, has incurred the wrath of broadcaster Blessed Godsbrain Smart over the cost of food prices in the country.
With the October inflation pegged at 40.4%, the minister of Agriculture said the cost of a bunch of plantain is ₵15.00 when he appeared before Parliament Wednesday, November 9, 2022.
Dr. Akoto was explaining the measures his ministry is putting in place to ensure food prices come down to cushion Ghanaians, especially those in the cities.
His intervention, as explained to some farmer groups he met in some of the regions was to secure trucks to the farms to convey the produce to the urban centres to reduce the cost of foodstuffs.
According to the minister, a bunch of plantain costs about ₵6.00 at the food belts but sold at ₵15.00 on the markets in the cities.
Meanwhile, plantain is sold in fingers in Accra, with a finger of plantain ranging between ₵3 to ₵5 depending on the size of the plantain and the area it is being sold.
Speaking Thursday, November 10, 2022 on the Onua TV/FM morning show, Maakye, Captain Smart said marriages are collapsing because of the high cost of living.
He says the cost of living has increased astronomically, consequently shooting the support women attach to housekeeping money given them.
“I want to ask if your Agric minister thinks? Does he sleep on a pillow? Or he is getting crazy? I’m only asking a question. That man is sick. He needs a mental health attention. If all these people are ministers…”
“A lot of women are fighting with their husbands over chop money. When the money is given and they go to the market, it can’t buy anything so they have to come and fight. If inflation is 40.4%, how can a bunch of plantain and a tuber of yam be ₵6?,” he quizzed.
By Felix Anim-Appau|Onuaonline.com
