He spent almost 4 hours answering 153 questions in total. Minority leader, Haruna Iddrisu asked about 40% of all the questions.

The infographic below has details of his time before the committee.

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By: Mawuli Tsikata & Caleb Kudah/citifmonline.com/Ghana
Follow @MawuliTsikata

The post #GhVetting: Afriyie-Akoto’s 153 questions in 4-hours [Infographic] appeared first on Citi 97.3 FM - Relevant Radio. Always.

The Plant Breeders Bill, which was brought to Parliament for approval, triggered a massive debate in the country in 2014, with some groups including the Food Sovereignty Ghana insisting that it will undermine and damage traditional farming practices.

They also argued that approving the Bill will unnecessarily threaten public health, water resources, air and the natural environment.

Meanwhile, speaking on the Citi Breakfast Show on Wednesday, Communications Director of FSG, Edwin Kweku Andoh Baffour, clarified that they are instead against the Bill in its current form.

“We are not against hybrid, we are not against science, but we are against the genetic manipulation of organisms –when we take genes from one organism and artificially incorporate them into the gene of another.  We have never said the Plant Breeders Bill is about GMO. What we have said is that, the Plant Breeders Bill is going to open the way for multinational seed companies to monopolize our seeds. We are not against the Plant Breeders Bill, we are against the Plant Breeders Bill in its current form and we have clearly stated where we have a problem,” Mr. Baffour noted.

Mr. Baffour made the comment on the back of a petition his group sent to Parliament’s Appointment Committee to compel the House to reject Agric Minister nominee, Dr. Owusu Afriyie-Akoto, who they claim supports the introduction of Genetically Modified Foods in Ghana.

Their petition was however rubbished by the nominee, as the chairman of the committee, Joe Osei-Owusu, revealed that FSG had earlier apologized to Parliament for their public claims about the Plant Breeders Bill.

But Mr. Baffour rejected the claim saying, such incident never occurred.

Mr. Baffour told Bernard Avle on the Citi Breakfast Show that “…that was the first time I had heard of this, I don’t recall any need for an apology from Food Sovereignty so I was quite surprised when I heard the chairman of the committee stating that Food Sovereignty Ghana had apologized for something.”

“I’m not sure what exactly we had to apologize for,” he added.

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By: Godwin A. Allotey/citifmonline.com/Ghana
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The post We’re not against Plant Breeders Bill – Food Sovereignty appeared first on Citi 97.3 FM - Relevant Radio. Always.

Despite the absence of any legal basis for the call, the Communications Director of the Group, Edwin Kwaku Bamfo, argued that allowing Dr. Afriyie Akoto to become the Agric Minister would be a slap in the face of campaigners.

[contextly_sidebar id=”V974FhzB4hmBVrHBeRIggIzWH9EYR326″]Following Dr. Afriyie Akoto’s nomination to head the Agriculture Ministry pending parliamentary approval, the group has been making reference the his comments on the controversial Plant Breeders Bill in 2014, which were in favour of giving enough room for the advancement of genetically modified foods in Ghana.

Thus FSG has maintained that, Dr. Afriyie Akoto’s position on GMO’s does not qualify him to head the office as Minister of Agriculture as independent research shows that, genetically modified organisms in food affect the health and the environment because of the chemicals they depend on to grow.

“It is for this reason that we are fundamentally opposed to his nomination because the case made to justify GMOs in Ghana is first of all one based on a falsehood. Ghana grows enough food to feed itself. There is wastage of food. We actually throw away food that we harvest. Wherever we have agriculture produce, we have phenomenal post-harvest losses in Ghana,” Mr. Bamfo said on Eyewitness News.

“Ghana’s problem is to concentrate on investing in roads from the farms to the market or investing in warehouses so that we can add value to harvest and reduce the losses; but there is nowhere in Ghana where this genetically modified agriculture must be justified especially in a time where all around the world, everybody is pulling away from GMOs.”

“On what basis do you think that advanced countries such as Germany, France, Holland, Italy and Russia have abandoned GMOs and we want to pursue it. I’m raising issues that are serious. They are red flags. Burkina Faso, our neighbour is experiencing a negative experience with GMOs as we speak,” Mr. Bamfo stated.

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By: Delali Adogla-Bessa/citifmonline.com/Ghana

The post Disqualify Afriyie Akoto for endorsing GMOs – Food Sovereignty appeared first on Citi 97.3 FM - Relevant Radio. Always.

President-elect Nana Akufo-Addo has hinted of the appointment during an address to Zongo Chiefs at his residence

“The Member of Parliament for Kwadaso, Dr. Afriyie Akoto is our spokesperson on agriculture and if the Parliament will pass it, he is likely to be the Minister of Agriculture,” were Nana Akufo-Addo’s words.

Nana Addo’s ministers, what we know so far

The only minister that Nana Akufo-Addo has outright confirmed for his incoming administration is Alan Kyeremanten as the Minister of Trade and Industry.

Multiple sources within the NPP have also disclosed to Citi News that co-founder of Databank, Ken Ofori-Atta; Member of Parliament for Bimbilla, Dominic Nitiwul and a former deputy Attorney General, Ambrose Dery will also be ministers.

Mr. Ofori-Atta has been pegged as the Finance Minister whilst Dominic Nitiwul and Ambrose Dery will head the Defense and Interior ministries respectively.

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By: Delali Adogla-Bessa/citifmonline.com/Ghana

The post Dr. Afriyie Akoto likely to be next Agric Minister – Nana Addo appeared first on Citi 97.3 FM - Relevant Radio. Always.