Ghana’s Minister for Food and Agriculture, Eric Opoku, has distanced himself from reports linking his ministry to a poultry initiative known as the “Nkukor Nkitinkiti” programme.
Speaking in a recent interview, the Minister said he is unaware of any entity called the National Broiler Project Directorate implementing agricultural programmes under his supervision.
The controversy follows claims that some beneficiaries of the programme received fewer than the expected 50 birds. Earlier, the alleged National Coordinator of the directorate, Kelvin Ocran, stated that the initiative aims to support poultry production by supplying birds to farmers, particularly to help grow the industry and create jobs.
However, Mr. Opoku firmly rejected any association with the directorate, insisting that it is not responsible for executing government projects. He suggested that, at best, such a body could only serve in an advisory capacity, if it exists at all.
The Minister emphasized that all official agricultural programmes are carried out under his authority through recognised structures within the ministry. He further noted that he had not seen any budgetary allocation for the so-called initiative, raising concerns about its authenticity.
The situation has sparked questions about coordination and transparency in Ghana’s poultry sector, especially as efforts continue to boost local production and tackle unemployment.