Yaw Frimpong Addo calls for policy consistency amid tomato supply concerns

Former Deputy Minister of Food and Agriculture Yaw Frimpong Addo has expressed frustration over the practice where new governments abandon policies started by previous administrations when they assume office.

“My problem with this country is that whenever a government changes the policies that the previous government developed, whether good or bad, then the government comes and they throw everything away. It hurts me so, so much” he lamented.

His comments come after the Minority in Parliament urged government to speed up efforts toward achieving self-sufficiency in tomato production, following Burkina Faso’s recent announcement of a ban on tomato exports nationwide.

Speaking in an interview with Asaase News, he said he believes that if Ghana had continued the 2023–2024 tomato programme started under the New Patriotic Party government, the country would not be facing its current challenges.

“If we had continued with the program that we started in 2023-2024, after 2028 we were going to be self-sufficient in tomato production”, he said.

He is therefore calling on leaders to maintain and improve existing policies rather than discard them. “I believe in continuity of programs. You can review it; you can do some small changes here and there.”

He stresses that consistency is essential for strengthening Ghana’s food production.