The Minister for Food and Agriculture, Eric Opoku, has attributed the challenges faced by the Planting for Food and Jobs (PFJ) program to inadequate leadership and insufficient implementation structures.

The PFJ initiative, launched in 2017 under the previous Akufo-Addo administration, aimed to boost the production of selected food crops and promote agriculture as a viable business sector. However, the Minister noted that both Phase I and Phase II of the program had limited success, falling short of ensuring national food security.

On Saturday, April 12, 2025, the president officially launched the Feed Ghana Program, a new flagship initiative designed to address similar goals as PFJ, but with revised strategies to enhance food production, reduce reliance on imports, and ensure long-term food sufficiency.

Speaking in an interview on Citi FM, Opoku pointed out that the previous program lacked the necessary leadership to produce meaningful results.

“You know that when you have an agenda, part of your responsibility is to rally people behind the strategy to make it happen. If leadership is not part of the implementation, you won’t get the desired results. But if you give the right instructions and monitor the stages of implementation, the status quo will change. Otherwise, you end up sacking everybody and bringing in new people,” he explained.

Opoku further emphasized that leadership is key to unlocking the potential of the ministry, highlighting that while some individuals were eager to work, effective leadership is crucial to ensuring success.

“When you come to the ministry, you’ll see for yourself. Some people are willing to work, but leadership must be there to get the best out of them,” he concluded.