NPP flagbearership: Afriyie Akoto relies on goodwill of farmers
The former Minister of Food and Agriculture, Dr Owusu Afriyie Akoto, is confident his strong base of supporters, who are farmers, will endorse him to lead the party into the 2024 general election.
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He said based on his track record as the Minister of Food and Agriculture for five years, the farmers who are also the party delegates for the super and general congresses would reward him by voting for him to lead the party to victory in 2024.
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Asked of his preparedness, Dr Akoto said, "am very much prepared. Am going on my track record as Minister of Food and Agriculture for six years, during which time I injected interest in farming among the rank and file of the Ghanaian population.
"There are 3.1 million farmers in Ghana and I know this for a fact because in 2018, for the first time in 36 years, I organised an agricultural census and it was very clear that we had 3.1 million farmers," Dr Akoto revealed this in an exclusive interview in Accra.
The interview was to find out how prepared he was for the flag bearer race since he resigned as agric minister three months ago to contest to lead the party into the 2024 general election.
Farmers’ pride
Dr Akoto believed that a total of 1.7 million of the farmers who bought into the agricultural flagship programme, planting for Food and Jobs (PFJ), would massively endorse his candidature when the time was due.
"The farmers who are the beneficiary of the PFJ are really appreciative of what I did.
I remember in 2022 when I went on my usual tour of farming communities throughout the country, every where I went, it was more like a thank you tour.
"Everywhere I went, the farmers were expressing their appreciation for the work I have done," he told the Daily Graphic.
He said the significant thing about both congresses leading to the election of the flag bearer of the party was that the delegates were dominated by farmers, who were his majority constituents.
"The interesting thing is that most of these farmers, especially in the five regions in the north are also delegates. Almost all their constituency executive members are actually farmers.
"Everywhere we went over there, they were witnesses to whatever I have done for farmers in the country through the Planting for Food and Jobs," he said.
Track record
Dr Akoto said his track record as a party loyalist and a strong contributor to the growth of the party, especially among the farming community was unquestionable, "and the 3.1 million farmers are the ones who will bear me witness."
Dr Akoto touted the impact he had made in the lives of farmers in the country as the Minister of Food and Agriculture, saying "you just have to go to any farmer and ask him of the impact I have made in his life and he will tell you.
"In fact, not only farmers but traditional leaders as well, from the Nayiri in the Northern, the Yaa Naa himself through to the Asantehene, Otumfuo, speak highly of the impact I have made on the lives of their subjects," Dr Akoto said.
He said the widely favourable comments and confirmation of what he had done in the lives of the people was a good sign that he would be the choice of not only the party faithful, but Ghanaians in general.
"For me, these testimonies and commendations are good signs that in terms of capability, in terms of vision and in terms of delivery, I have done it," he said confidently.
