By Michael Foli Jackidy
Tegbi (V/R), Oct 03, GNA – Dr. Ishmael Nii Dodoo, Head of Innovation, Partnership and Markets at the 24-Hour Economy Secretariat, has urged Ghana to reduce its heavy dependence on food imports by harnessing the vast agricultural potential of the Volta Region.
In an interview with the Ghana News Agency (GNA) during the Volta Economic Forum and Retreat for Municipal and District Chief Executives (MDCEs) at Tegbi in the Anloga District, Dr. Dodoo described Ghana’s annual food import bill of over $3.5 billion as unsustainable for a nation blessed with fertile land and natural resources.
He disclosed that the country spends about $350 million yearly on animal offal and gallbladders, $450 million on poultry products, and nearly $300 million on fish imports.
Rice imports alone exceed one million metric tons annually, costing Ghana more than $500 million.
“These numbers are untenable. Ghana cannot continue to import what it can produce. The Volta Region, with its vast arable land and strategic location, must become the hub of our national agricultural transformation,” he stressed.
Dr. Dodoo outlined the Secretariat’s flagship initiative, Eden Volta, which seeks to develop two million hectares of irrigated land for year-round cultivation of rice, maize, cassava, vegetables, and aquaculture.
The project aims to substitute at least 60–70 per cent of food imports in the medium term, moving towards 80 per cent in the long term.
He further highlighted the need for value addition through agro-processing, citing cassava for starch, flour, ethanol, and beverages; soybeans and maize for poultry feed; and tomatoes—especially in Anloga—for a processing plant and cold storage facilities.
“The 24-Hour Economy is not just about longer work hours. It is about building highly productive, technology-driven, and sustainable local economies,” Dr. Dodoo explained.
He added that the Secretariat was working with engineers, project managers, accountants, trade unions, and industry players to align professional expertise with national development priorities.
He called on MDCEs to mobilize farmer cooperatives, facilitate access to land, and promote private sector partnerships to drive the transformation.
Mr. Moses Klu Mensah, Deputy CEO (Banking) of Ghana EXIM Bank, reaffirmed the Bank’s commitment to supporting the initiative.
He encouraged the MDCEs to collaborate with EXIM Bank for financial and technical support to develop agro-industries, industrial parks, and logistics infrastructure across the Volta Economic Corridor.
All 18 MDCEs present pledged to harness the knowledge gained from the retreat to drive investment and position the Volta Region as a key pillar of Ghana’s 24-Hour Economy.
GNA
Edited by Maxwell Awumah/Benjamin Mensah