)
The breakdown is as follows; rice (GH₵6.874 billion), fish (GH₵3.993 billion), and processed chicken (GH₵1.881 billion).
According to the minister, Ghana also spent the following on meat, vegetable, poultry within the same period:
Meat - GH₵487 million
Vegetables - GH₵281million
)
)
)
Poultry - GH₵184 million
Graphic Newspaper reported that Mr. Kyerematen made the disclosure when he appeared before parliament to respond to a question by Mr Murtala Muhammed Ibrahim, the Member of Parliament (MP) for Tamale Central, on how much the state spent on the importation of rice and other foodstuffs into the country over the past four years.
Responding to another question about whether the government has lifted the ban on small rice importers, Mr Kyeremanten said “rice was a staple food in Ghana and, as such, one had to maintain a delicate balance between the quantity of rice produced locally and what was imported to ensure that there were no serious shortages”.
Mr Kyeremanten stressed that the government has not lifted the ban imposed on the small rice importers but noted that the ministry has a management policy to ensure that there were no shortages in the system.
He explained that the ministry would review its position on rice imports when there was significant local rice production in the country.