The Chief Executive Officer of the Greater Accra Poultry Farmers Association, Ali Muhammed, has attributed the challenges facing the government's flagship Nkoko Nkitinkiti programme to poor planning and the lack of technical training for beneficiaries.
He said although the initiative was well-intentioned and aimed at boosting local poultry production and reducing reliance on imported chicken, its implementation failed to provide the essential technical support needed for success.
Speaking in an interview with The Ghanaian Times in Accra on Saturday, Mr Muhammed disclosed that the association had offered to provide free technical training and guidance to beneficiaries but was not engaged by the implementing authorities.
His comments follow a disclosure by the Minister for Food and Agriculture, Eric Opoku, before Parliament's Assurances Committee last Thursday that some beneficiaries had eaten the chicks supplied under the programme instead of rearing them.
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Mr Muhammed described the situation as unfortunate but not surprising, explaining that many beneficiaries lacked the basic knowledge required for poultry farming.
"We wanted to know who the beneficiaries were so we could train and prepare them before the birds were distributed. We offered free technical support, but nobody engaged us," he said.
He indicated that the first phase of the programme was rolled out without adequate preparation, exposing beneficiaries to avoidable difficulties.
According to him, while the initiative itself remained laudable, its execution needed urgent review.
With better planning and the involvement of industry players, he said, the programme could still achieve its intended objectives.
Mr Muhammed added that the association, which has operated for more than 45 years, had the expertise to support the programme and urged the government to recognise poultry farmers as key partners.
He reiterated the association's readiness to collaborate with the Ministry of Food and Agriculture to strengthen the initiative.
Appearing before Parliament's Assurances Committee, Mr Opoku acknowledged that although the programme had boosted local poultry production, some beneficiaries had failed to use the birds as intended. He said some had even sent him videos of themselves eating the chicks.
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The minister also cited inadequate market access for mature birds, particularly in the Eastern Region, as a major challenge.
