LET'S GROW WHAT WE EAT

THE assurance by the government that it is doing everything within its power to avert any negative effects of the global food crisis and increasing fuel prices on consumers is a step in the right direction.
When rising fuel prices, the global food and the economic crises in the USA threatened the world economy, captains of business and industry called on the government to take steps to put in place measures to avoid the destabilisation of the economic gains made so far.
So far, Ghana appears to have weathered the storm, as the economy remains resilient, inflation is within manageable levels, interest rates are still better than they were some years ago, while the cedi remains strong against other currencies.
The worrying development, however, is that the government has decided to cut its economic growth target to 6.8 per cent as crude oil trades above $100 per barrel. It had expected to expand the economy to a seven per cent growth this year based on an oil price of $85 per barrel.
Speaking in Maputo, Mozambique, during the African Development Bank (AfDB) annual general meeting, the Minister of Finance and Economic Planning, Mr Kwadwo Baah-Wiredu, said, “The oil impact is massive,” adding that “there is no one in Ghana who wants to see galloping inflation. It is not good for us. It is not good for any economy”.
Ghana cannot be an island in the sub-region and beyond and that is why we have to do something pretty soon to ensure that our people are not adversely affected by the global crisis, while at the same time maintaining the resilience of the economy.
The Daily Graphic urges the Cabinet sub-committee tasked with coming up with recommendations on how to stem the effects of the global food crisis and fuel prices on Ghanaians to use its mandate to engage in broad consultation with all stakeholders so that the outcome of the government’s action will lead to a win-win situation.
The Managing Director of the Finatrade Group, a major rice merchant in the country, Mr Nabil Mourkazel, has already appealed to the government to remove tariffs on staples such as rice and wheat to reduce the pressure on local consumers.
Since it is reported that some neighbouring countries have reduced tariffs on such imported staples, it will be economically prudent for the government to take a similar step to avoid the situation where traders will smuggle those commodities into the country. If that happens, the government will not get the intended revenue, as the smugglers will distort the market.
The Daily Graphic believes that while the government takes steps to address the difficulties posed by the global economic crisis, every well-meaning Ghanaian should contribute his or her quota to the discussion to help the country maintain a stable economic environment devoid of partisan considerations.
The government is also encouraged to provide the necessary credit support for our farmers during this year’s farming season to help them expand production.
Ghana has escaped the street protests that have engulfed some countries largely because of the availability of local food staples such as cassava, rice, yam, plantain and maize.
We can only continue to maintain a peaceful environment if our farmers are motivated to produce abundantly to feed the country and even for export.
Yes, our heads have remained above water so far, but conditions can remain better if we continue to “grow what we eat and eat what we grow”.