I Have Injected A US$ 200M Into Ghana’s Tree Crop Diversification Project--Dr.Owusu Afriyie Akoto
Commenting on the financing in an interview at his campaign office in Accra on Sunday, July 9, 2023, Dr. Akoto said he was happy the World Bank has recognized his vision by investing US$200million in the Tree Crop Diversification Project.
Freeman Koryekpor 
The International Development Association (IDA) of the World Bank has injected a US$ 200 million facility into Ghana’s Tree Crop Diversification Project (TCDP), a visionary project that was initiated by Dr. Owusu Afriyie Akoto, when he was the Minister of Food and Agriculture.
Commenting on the financing in an interview at his campaign office in Accra on Sunday, July 9, 2023, Dr. Akoto said he was happy the World Bank has recognized his vision by investing US$200million in the Tree Crop Diversification Project.
Dr. Akoto said it is important for the country to quickly move into action now that the World Bank has injected the US$200million by setting up offices in the regions where the farmers are located as well as research offices in the Universities for research purposes.
Dr. Akoto said the development of the six tree crops namely cashew, oil palm, shea, coconut, mango and rubber.
Dr. Akoto said despite being out of office, he is confident that the Board and Management of the Tree Crop Development Authority are capable of executing implementing the Tree Crop Development Authority Act, 2019 (Act 1010).
He stated that when the Grains Development Authority and many others that he left behind are pursued, Ghana’s economy will be transformed.
Dr. Afriyie said it is based on the structures that he has put in place to ensure growth of the economy that he is urging delegates of the New Patriotic Party to vote massively for him to become the flagbearer of the party and subsequently as President of the Republic of Ghana for him to do more for the country.
He outlined his vision for the party and the country in general when he becomes the flag bearer of the UP Tradition and subsequently the President of Ghana.
Speaking on his vision for the party and the country, Dr Afriyie Akoto noted that he was a creator of job opportunities, touting his achievement as having created thousands of jobs for the teeming unemployed youth, as well as labour professionals when he was the Minister of Food and Agriculture.
These jobs, he added, had impacted positively on the lives of the people, underscoring that he held the key to unlocking job opportunities for party members and the citizenry.
“The records are there for anybody to verify.
When it comes to job creation, Afriyie Akoto stands tall.
I have demonstrated with the portfolio I held for six years that we can use agriculture to turn around the fortunes of Ghana – and I will do it when you give me the opportunity to lead the party,” he noted.
Another major concern he highlighted was the imposition of unknown people on party members, especially, at the Metropolitan, Municipal and District Assemblies.
This act, he noted, would be a thing of the past when he was given the nod to lead the party.
He said he would at all times consult the base of the party and allow them to present their own candidate for confirmation for the position of Metropolitan, Municipal and District Chief Executive.
