Omanghana
Minority Leader Alexander Afenyo-Markin has renewed his criticism of the government’s Nkoko Nkitinkiti poultry initiative, describing its implementation as a failure and demanding greater accountability for the use of public funds.
The Effutu Member of Parliament argued that the program had not demonstrated that it could create sustainable poultry businesses, generate employment or significantly reduce Ghana’s dependence on imported chicken.
His comments followed an admission by the Minister for Food and Agriculture, Eric Opoku, that some beneficiaries slaughtered and consumed birds distributed to them instead of selling and reinvesting the proceeds.
Afenyo-Markin Questions Program’s Sustainability
Afenyo-Markin said the program was presented as a pathway for young people and vulnerable households to enter poultry production.
Under the intended model, beneficiaries were expected to rear the birds, sell them and use the proceeds to begin another production cycle.
The Minority Leader argued that consuming all the birds undermined this commercial objective because beneficiaries would have no productive stock or proceeds to reinvest.
He maintained that the situation exposed weaknesses in beneficiary selection, training, supervision and program monitoring.
“On the agriculture side, government has failed,” Afenyo-Markin said, arguing that the Agriculture Minister’s earlier disclosure amounted to an acknowledgment of problems with the policy.
Agriculture Minister Admitted Some Birds Were Eaten
Appearing before Parliament’s Assurances Committee on July 9, Agriculture Minister Eric Opoku disclosed that some beneficiaries had consumed the birds distributed to them.
He said some had even sent him videos showing that they were eating the poultry.
The minister explained that the program was not designed to provide birds for immediate consumption. Its primary objective was to help beneficiaries rear poultry, sell the mature birds and reinvest the proceeds as a continuing business.
Opoku also identified limited market access as a challenge, particularly in the Eastern Region, where some beneficiaries struggled to find buyers after their birds matured.
According to him, the ministry contacted processors and arranged for some companies to travel from Accra to purchase birds from farmers. Despite those efforts, certain beneficiaries chose to consume their poultry.
The minister said the government did not encourage that decision, although eating locally produced chicken could still contribute to national food consumption and help build demand for domestic poultry.
Minority Leader Calls for EOCO Investigation
Afenyo-Markin has called on the Economic and Organized Crime Office to investigate beneficiaries who allegedly diverted the birds from their intended commercial purpose.
He argued that because the poultry was procured with state funds, beneficiaries must account for how the resources were used.
“They were supposed to rear the birds, sell and reinvest. Now that they have consumed the birds, what will become of them? What is the accountability in it?” he asked during an earlier parliamentary debate.
The Minority Leader characterized the consumption of the birds as a misuse of a publicly funded economic intervention.
However, no official finding has established that beneficiaries committed a criminal offence, and EOCO has not publicly announced an investigation into the matter.
Questions Raised Over Public Expenditure
Opposition MPs have repeatedly cited expenditure exceeding GH¢200 million while questioning the program’s impact.
The 2026 Budget allocated approximately GH¢245 million to the government’s broader Poultry Farm-to-Table intervention. The Minority has demanded a detailed breakdown showing how much was spent on birds, feed, veterinary care, beneficiary training and other forms of support.
Afenyo-Markin said the government must demonstrate what the investment has produced in terms of surviving birds, new poultry enterprises, employment and import reduction.
He also alleged that the distribution process had been politicized and benefited governing-party activists. The government has not accepted that characterization.
Government Defends Household Benefits
Majority Leader Mahama Ayariga and other government representatives have rejected the Minority’s conclusion that the program has failed.
During the parliamentary exchanges, Ayariga argued that the birds were ultimately intended to mature into food and livelihood resources.
Government officials have maintained that household consumption does not completely eliminate the program’s value because locally produced chicken can improve nutrition and reduce immediate demand for imported poultry.
The Agriculture Minister has nevertheless emphasized that beneficiaries were expected to treat the intervention as a business opportunity rather than a one-time food distribution exercise.
Program Targets 60,000 Households
President John Dramani Mahama launched the Nkoko Nkitinkiti Household and Backyard Poultry Production Initiative in Kumasi in November 2025.
The program is a component of the broader Feed Ghana strategy and is intended to improve food security, strengthen household incomes and reduce poultry imports.
The government plans to reach approximately 60,000 households nationwide. Each district is expected to support about 200 beneficiaries under the household phase.
The wider poultry strategy also includes support for schools, communities, commercial producers and selected anchor farmers.
At the program’s launch, President Mahama said Ghana spent more than $350 million on imported poultry products in 2023, describing the expenditure as a major drain on foreign exchange. Presidency of Ghana
Poultry Farmers Also Raise Implementation Concerns
The Poultry Farmers Association of Ghana has warned that the program may not reduce imports unless weaknesses in its implementation are addressed.
Association President George Dassah identified poor market access, inadequate orientation and the selection of households without a genuine interest in poultry farming as major risks.
He argued that distributing birds would not be sufficient without feed, veterinary support, processing facilities and reliable buyers.
The association has indicated that it intends to engage the Ministry of Food and Agriculture before the next phase of the program.
Debate Moves Beyond Number of Birds Distributed
The dispute has highlighted the difference between distributing poultry for household production and building a commercially sustainable industry.
Household consumption can improve nutrition and increase demand for local chicken. However, achieving the program’s larger economic objectives will require repeated production cycles, reinvestment and strong market connections.
The government maintains that Nkoko Nkitinkiti is being implemented in phases and should not be judged solely by isolated cases of beneficiaries consuming their birds.
The Minority insists that without transparent expenditure records and measurable economic results, the program risks becoming a politically driven distribution exercise instead of a credible strategy for transforming Ghana’s poultry industry.
Source: Omanghana
