Recent droughts in northern Ghana have exposed the inadequacies of the government’s flagship programmes such as “Planting for Food and Jobs,” “One-Village-One-Dam,” “One-District-One Warehouse,” and “One-District-One Factory.”

Despite being marketed as transformative solutions for the nation’s agricultural and economic challenges, these initiatives have proven insufficient in the face of a severe food crisis triggered by delayed rainfall.

The situation has escalated to the point where the Ministry of Food and Agriculture (MoFA) has formally requested GH¢8.36 billion from the Contingency Fund to manage the food security crisis.

This plea, showed in a letter dated August 19, 2024, reveals the dire impact of the drought across eight regions—Northern, Upper East, North East, Savannah, Upper West, Bono, Bono East, and Oti.

The poor rainfall has led to significant crop production disruptions, resulting in widespread food shortages, loss of farmer income, economic decline, and increased security threats.

To address these issues, MoFA has proposed several urgent measures, including the mopping up of farmer stock, importation of grains, and financial support for affected farmers.

However, the unexpected nature of this crisis means the government cannot cover these costs through the existing 2024 budget and is seeking GH¢500 million from the Contingency Fund.

This request is in accordance with Article 177, Section 1 of the 1992 Constitution and related financial management laws.

In addition to accessing the Contingency Fund, the government is also reaching out to development partners and realigning fiscal strategies to tackle the crisis.

The Finance Committee’s swift approval is critical for implementing these interventions and alleviating the severe impacts on over 900,000 farmers.

Critics argue that the failure of these flagship programmes raises questions about the allocation and effectiveness of funds intended for these projects.

The “One-Village-One-Dam” initiative, which boasted 426 dams built, appears to have fallen short in preventing the current crisis.

The government’s assurances before the Covid-19 pandemic—that these programs could sustain the nation for two years without external aid—have proven hollow, exacerbating the public’s sense of betrayal.

As the situation continues to deteriorate, the need for transparency and accountability regarding the use of funds and the effectiveness of government programs has never been more urgent.