The Union said agriculture remained the survival and well-being of all levels of society and was essential for survival, poverty reduction, and economic growth, with strong corporate investment potential.
A statement issued by Mr. Andrews Addoquaye Tagoe, General Secretary, GAWU expressed the hope that the appointment of Mr Eric Opoku as the Minister for Agriculture and Madam Emelia Arthur as the Minister designate for Fisheries and Aquaculture Development presents the President’s resolve and commitment towards improving the sector.
It said agricultural workers and extension farmers faced several systemic and structural challenges stemming from the declining investment and prioritisation of the sector.
The statement said the sector had been consistent in driving Ghana’s economy through its contributions to the GDP and especially in creating sustainable jobs while holding all up to survive through food production, amongst others.
It urged Mr. Eric and Madam Arthur to prioritise stakeholder involvement, especially the Union, in policy formulation and implementation.
It said since Ghana was an agrarian economy, GAWU was expecting for agriculture to overshadow the service and industry sector as a major contributor to the country’s GDP which stood at 24.5 per cent in 2024.
“This will not just boost the economy of Ghana but contribute to job creation and our quest to ensure food security in the Country. These should be reflected in budgetary allocation for the sector,” it added.
The statement urged the Agric Minister-designate to consider prioritising irrigation investment to ensure all year-round farming which could support commitment towards the climate change fight, increase in job creation, food security and further contribution to GDP.
It appealed to the Minister designate to prioritise measures that would stop “galamsey” by upholding the Presidential pact assented to while prioritising land reclamation in consultation with relevant stakeholders.
The statement said the Union required an audit of the Pwalugu Multi-Purpose Dam and requested that the ministry prioritise work on the dam to achieve its purpose towards national development.
It encouraged the Minister-designate to prioritise youth involvement, oil palm, climate change and food security, and aquaculture and fisheries development within the sector.
It congratulated the Minister-designate for Agriculture and Miss Emelia Arthur; Minister-designate for Fisheries and Aquaculture Development.
The statement said as a Trade Union, they were assured of the support of the Ministers designate towards developing the sector as was emphatically communicated in July 2024 when the Union engaged the Agric committee of the NDC manifesto.
“The Union is expectant and waiting to engage your offices in supporting to contribute towards the implementation of diverse policies and initiative focused on ‘Agro-economic transformation through a 24-hour economy’
“The Union is eager to work with you to alleviate the lives of workers in the formal and informal sectors to promote decent work and economic growth,” it said.
GNA
