Nkoko Nketenkete: Economist questions gov’t economic policies     

Dr Kwasi Nyame Baafi, an economist has expressed the fear that some economic policies of the government could undermine the growth of the local poultry industry. 
 
He lauded the implementation of the government ‘Nkoko Nketenkete’ initiative, explaining that the programme would expand the local poultry sector for Ghanaians to consume local poultry products. 
 
President John Dramani Mahama unveiled the government’s flagship poultry revitalisation programme, the ‘Nkoko Nketenkete” initiative in 2025. 
 
The programme, which is not just a job-creation intervention but a deliberate policy to curb the heavy importation of frozen chicken, will involve distributing three million poultry birds. 
 
Dr Baafi, also the Deputy Director of Research of the New Patriotic Party (NPP) noted that some policy choices taken by the government remained unfriendly and could potentially undermine the implementation of the ‘Nkoko Nketenkete’ programme. 
 
In an interview with the Ghana News Agency (GNA), Dr Baafi cited that: “The price of imported frozen chicken is now much cheaper because of the over-artificial appreciation of the Ghana cedi,” 
 
“My brother, if the Ministry of Finance and the Bank of Ghana are pursuing an exchange rate policy that will make imported chicken much cheaper, then why do the government say that they are trying to boost local production of poultry,” he questioned. 
 
Dr Baafi said by the action of the government trying to create an over-appreciation of the local currency, they were not boosting the local production of poultry, but rather trying to collapse the industry.