By Daniel Bampoe
Former Minister for Food and Agriculture and NPP Presidential hopeful, Dr. Bryan Acheampong, has spoken out to clarify what he describes as “deliberate misinformation” surrounding the fertiliser distribution controversy that erupted in the run-up to the December 2024 general elections.
His response comes amid renewed public debate over two conflicting Ministry of Food and Agriculture (MoFA) letters issued just days before the polls — a development that some critics claimed reflected political interference and poor transparency.
Controversy
The dispute dates back to November 27, 2024, when two official MoFA letters — both signed by the Acting Chief Director and bearing the same reference number (SC 504/505/08) — emerged with conflicting directives on fertiliser distribution.
The first letter instructed that agricultural inputs under the Farmer Food Relief and Recovery Programme — including fertilisers — be distributed through regional collection points.
It requested bank account details from Regional Coordinating Councils (RCCs) and Metropolitan, Municipal and District Chief Executives (MMDCEs) to facilitate fund transfers for coordination and monitoring under the Planting for Food and Jobs (PFJ) 2.0 and drought relief interventions.
However, that same day, a second letter superseded the first, instructing that fertilisers — specifically NPK and Urea — be sent directly to the MMDAs, bypassing the regional centres.
The directive also introduced a new contractor, Rans Logistics Limited, to handle direct transportation to the districts.
This abrupt change — issued barely ten days before the national elections — sparked allegations of political manipulation, with some accusing Dr. Bryan Acheampong of using state resources for partisan gain.
Accusations
Following the New Patriotic Party’s (NPP) defeat in the 2024 elections, internal criticism intensified.
Dr. Gideon Boako, spokesperson for for Vice President and NPP presidential hopeful, Dr. Mahamudu Bawumia, publicly accused Dr. Acheampong of “hoarding fertilisers meant for farmers,” arguing that his alleged mismanagement cost the party crucial electoral support in key farming constituencies.
“The NPP lost the 2024 elections because Dr. Bryan Acheampong kept all the fertilisers that were meant for the people,” Dr. Boako alleged.
As the NPP’s 2025 presidential race gained momentum, the fertiliser controversy became a flashpoint among party faithful — with rival factions suggesting that Dr Bryan Acheampong’s actions may have been influenced by internal political motives.
Bryan Acheampong’s Clarification
On his campaign tour in the Ashanti Region, Dr. Acheampong broke his silence, insisting that every decision he took as Minister was guided by integrity, data, and accountability.
“When I took over as Minister, Ghana was facing severe challenges in the agriculture sector — including one of the harshest droughts in recent history,” he explained.
“We launched a national relief programme to support farmers affected by the drought — not to campaign or politicise fertiliser distribution. Every bag, every seed, every allocation was data-driven and done through official MoFA systems.”
He clarified that the November 27 letters had been “deliberately misrepresented”, adding that they were written merely to address logistical bottlenecks that had emerged during the nationwide relief distribution.
“Those letters were not to initiate a new fertiliser programme. They were meant to resolve coordination challenges on the ground. Some MMDAs complained about a lack of operational funds, and we had to respond swiftly. That’s leadership — solving problems, not creating headlines,” he stated firmly.
Procurement Delays, Not Politics
According to Dr. Acheampong, the overlap between fertiliser distribution and the election period was purely coincidental.
He attributed the timing to procurement and supply chain delays, explaining that government programmes could not simply be halted due to political events.
“The mission was simple — save farmers’ livelihoods. The programme had to continue until the government’s last day in office,” he emphasised.
Indeed, under his leadership, the PFJ 2.0 framework supported over 225 districts nationwide and distributed more than 2.1 million bags of fertiliser, ensuring that verified, registered farmers benefited directly through MoFA’s database.
He added that the Ministry worked closely with the World Bank and private suppliers to ensure fertiliser stocks were released in time to mitigate the effects of the drought on food production.
The programme eliminated the long-standing subsidy abuse and smuggling loopholes that had plagued earlier versions, introducing a zero-interest input credit system where every distribution could be traced through digital records.
“The system was built on accountability and transparency,” said Eric Twum, spokesperson for the Bryan Acheampong campaign.
“Bryan Acheampong’s reforms ended the era of politicised fertiliser allocation. His systems ensured that inputs went where they were needed, not where they could win votes,” he said.
