President Akufo Addo has announced that beginning January 2020 all-state institutions are directed to buy local produce especially Ghanaian grown rice.
The President reiterated his call for the consumption of locally produced food during his encounter with the media at the Jubilee House in Accra on Friday, 13th December 2019.
“All of us have to get involved in this drive towards self-sufficiency, we should all eat Ghanaian rice. It is the beginning for all of us, each one of us in our homes we should make a conscious effort to tell our wives and cousins or whoever is responsible for food to buy Ghana rice. That is what is happening in this place, it’s happening in my house in Nima and it’s happening here. And I’m giving direction that by the 1st of January 2020, all the state institutions are going to buy Ghanaian produce and Ghanaian rice, we have to do these things. That’s the only way we can begin to actively support our farmers.”
President Akufo Addo had earlier called for the consumption of local rice during this year’s National Farmers Day held in Ho on Friday, 6th December 2019, where he urged Ghanaians to follow his example.
“We must eat what we grow to motivate our farmers, and support the development of the local food industry. Indeed, Rebecca, my beautiful wife, our First Lady, insists that we eat local rice at home, and has made sure of it. I call on all Ghanaians to follow my example, and eat local rice.”
According to the President, “the success of the Government’s efforts at ensuring self-sufficiency in rice production depends largely on the level of consumption of local rice.”