The General Secretary of the General Agricultural Workers Union (GAWU), Andrews Addoquaye Tagoe, has called on Ghanaians to actively monitor President John Dramani Mahama's directive requiring all Basic and Senior High Schools to purchase locally produced rice, maize, chicken, and eggs.
Speaking on Channel One Newsroom on Saturday, December 6, Mr Tagoe said compliance with the directive must be closely tracked, adding that GAWU has tasked its members to oversee its implementation.
He commended President Mahama for the initiative, noting that it would reduce Ghana's reliance on imported food and conserve foreign exchange, while also addressing the health and economic risks associated with excessive food imports.
According to Mr Tagoe, the directive extends beyond schools to other government-funded institutions, including the School Feeding Programme, the Ghana Prisons Service, the Ghana Police Service, and other state-supported programmes that procure food with public funds.
He emphasised the importance of public participation in monitoring the policy, which aligns with GAWU's long-standing advocacy for the consumption of made-in-Ghana products.
"This has been our call for a very long time. We import too much into our country, especially food products. There are health and dollar implications. Things that can be produced in Ghana should come from Ghanaian farmers. The President is instructing all consumers of government-funded food to buy locally, and we should all monitor this directive," he said.
Mr Tagoe also praised the government for allocating GH¢200 million to address the recent food glut, describing the move as laudable. He noted that post-harvest losses contribute significantly to farmer poverty and expressed hope that the intervention would help reduce losses and improve livelihoods.