A constituency chairman of the opposition National Democratic Congress has been arrested in connection with the missing $12m worth of fertilizers under the Planting for Food and Jobs; MyNewsGh.com can report.
The NDC constituency Chairman for Sissala East was arrested together with some Sunyani Municipal Assembly Staff who are believed to have masterminded the smuggling of the government fertilizers into neighbouring Burkina Faso with the connivance of some Chinese nationals.
They are currently being interrogated by the CID, MyNewsGh.com can confirm.
The Agric Ministry denied earlier report suggesting that the amount of $12m dollars said to be losses, incurred as a result of smuggling of fertilizers under the flagship Planting for food and jobs programme.
A statement from the ministry said among others that, “What the Minister said during the budget hearing was that over the years the country had not been able to quantify in monetary terms the actual losses being incurred as a result of fertilizers being smuggled outside Ghana to neighbouring countries such as Burkina Faso and Togo.
“The Minister then went ahead to explain that under the current administration, efforts had been made to quantify the cost which amounted to about $12m dollars, which translates into about 50,000 metric tonnes,” the Ministry’s statement added.
They revealed that about 50 trucks of fertilizers, which were being smuggled to Burkina Faso were seized in the Upper West Region and that “efforts are being made to nip the vicious activities of these fertilizer-smuggling cartels in the bud.”
“…stringent efforts have been made to curtail the unfortunate incidents which had become the norm in previous years. Through vigilance and comprehensive monitoring, several arrests have been made and investigations are currently ongoing.”
“We, therefore, appeal to the general public to cooperate with us by reporting any act of suspicion for the necessary action to be taken,” the Ministry appealed.
