Agric Minister was misconstrued, he's not insensitive - Deputy Minister

Deputy Minister of Agriculture, Kennedy Osei Nyarko says some comments made by Dr. Owusu Afriyie Akoto by has been misconstrued.

Minister of Agriculture, Dr. Owusu Afriyie Akoto is reported to have said that prices of food items on the market are cheaper despite the outbreak of the novel coronavirus in the country.

“The hike in food prices, I think we all recognize that only four years ago, a bunch of plantains, you had to spend GHS40 but now with GHS3 to GHS6, you can get a bunch of plantains. It shows you clearly that we have come to reduce prices of food even in the major cities like Accra where there is substantial rushes in the markets. Most families who could not afford one meal a day can now afford three meals a day because food is so cheap and we will continue to ensure that planting for food and jobs will deliver even more food to areas of consumption to makes lives very easy for families in consuming areas,” the Minister noted.

But speaking on UTV's Critical Issues programme with host, Afia Pokua popularly known as Vim Lady, Mr Osei Nyarko said it will be insensitive for the Minister to describe the prices as low when they are not.

"...he was taken out of context…he never said presently food prices are cheap; he wouldn’t have said that. He was giving a general comment comparing food prices under the current regime to previous administrations. He would have been an insensitive person to make that statement," he stated.

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