By: Sarah Baafi
The Minister of Finance, Dr. Cassiel Ato Forson, has reiterated the government’s focus on food security and economic stability during a meeting with Her Excellency Myriam Montrat, the Canadian High Commissioner to Ghana.
Dr. Cassiel Ato Forson described food security as a national priority, emphasizing the need for collaborative efforts to address rising food prices and their impact on vulnerable populations.
“More than one million Ghanaians are at risk of food insecurity due to skyrocketing prices,” he said, referencing alarming statistics from the World Food Programme.
He also highlighted the Goldbod initiative, describing it as a transformative project aimed at improving gold export tracking, stabilizing the cedi, increasing foreign exchange inflows, and creating jobs.
Acknowledging past challenges within Cocobod, he stated, “We cannot let isolated setbacks overshadow the invaluable contributions Cocobod has made to Ghana’s development or derail promising initiatives like Goldbod.”
He expressed confidence that Goldbod would soon be fully operational, delivering long-term stability and inclusive growth.
Mr Ato Forson reaffirmed Ghana’s commitment to the International Monetary Fund (IMF) program, noting that corrective actions had been taken to address structural slippages inherited from the previous administration.
“We are committed to ensuring fiscal discipline and achieving key economic targets under the IMF program,” he assured.
The meeting concluded with Ato Forson emphasizing the importance of international cooperation in achieving sustainable development.
“Canada’s support in agricultural modernization and resource management will complement our domestic efforts to stabilize the economy and achieve food security,” he remarked.
Both parties pledged to deepen bilateral ties to foster mutual growth and resilience.
