The Member of Parliament for Atebubu-Amantin, Sanja Nanja, has warned that the government could face serious political backlash if it fails to address the growing food glut crisis and persistent power outages affecting farmers and businesses across the country.
According to him, many farmers in Atebubu-Amantin, Kintampo North and South, parts of the Bono Region, and Afram Plains are struggling to sell their produce despite drastically reducing prices.
“The farmers are not demanding that maize should be sold at GHS1,200 or GHS1,300. Some are willing to sell at as low as GHS400, yet there are no buyers for their harvests. They are crying a lot, and you know the NDC’s support base is mainly in the rural communities,” he stated.
Speaking on the issue, Sanja Nanja said the worsening situation is discouraging many farmers from returning to their farms for the next planting season due to the heavy losses they continue to suffer.
He stressed that government must not ignore the frustrations of farmers, warning that rural communities form the backbone of the party’s support base.
The MP also questioned the status of funds allocated to purchase surplus food through the National Food Buffer Stock Company.
According to him, President John Dramani Mahama initially approved GH₵200 million to support the exercise, but later increased it to GH₵300 million after recognising the severity of the crisis.
“He increased the amount to GH₵300 million, so where is the money going? Farmers must feel the impact of the funds the President directed to be used to buy their produce,” he said.
Sanja Nanja noted that distress calls from constituencies are worrying, adding that many people are going through difficult times while expecting solutions from the government now in office.
He cautioned against attempts to conceal the challenges, insisting that failure to address them could eventually hurt the government politically.
“We should not cover up these problems, otherwise one day it will go badly against us,” he warned.
The MP further revealed that at public events, members of the opposition frequently mock them over national challenges, particularly the food glut situation and recurring power outages, commonly known as “dumsor.”
He therefore called for urgent intervention to restore confidence among farmers and the general public.
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