The Executive Director of the Institute for Economic Research and Public Policy (IERPP), Prof. Isaac Boadi, has criticised the Minister for Food and Agriculture, Eric Opoku, over his comments that some beneficiaries of the government’s Nkoko Nkitinkiti programme slaughtered and consumed the birds they received instead of rearing them.

Speaking on Adom FM’s Dwaso Nsem, Prof. Boadi said the Minister’s remarks undermined the credibility of the flagship poultry initiative and, in his view, warranted his resignation.

“If this had happened in another country, the Minister would have resigned because of what he said,” Prof. Boadi stated.

He explained that the Agriculture Minister was expected to use his appearance before Parliament’s Assurance Committee to account for the progress of the programme rather than highlight its failures.

“You appeared before the Assurance Committee to account to Ghanaians. You were supposed to tell us whether the programme had achieved its objectives, whether poultry production had increased and whether jobs had been created,” he said.

According to Prof. Boadi, government invested significant resources into the programme to improve local poultry production and reduce Ghana’s dependence on imported chicken.

“Government introduced the programme to distribute about three million birds to 600,000 households. Beneficiaries were given grants, technical support and other assistance to help them rear the birds for commercial production,” he noted.

He questioned why the Minister chose to focus on reports that some beneficiaries had eaten the birds instead of presenting evidence of the programme’s achievements.

“Instead of telling us how the programme has improved the country’s self-sufficiency ratio or how many jobs have been created, you are telling us people have eaten the birds because they taste good and there is demand for them. How is that even possible?” he asked.

Prof. Boadi stressed that after a year of implementation, Ghanaians deserved clear information on whether the programme had increased local poultry production and delivered value for the public funds invested.

His comments follow remarks by the Minister for Food and Agriculture, Eric Opoku, before Parliament’s Assurance Committee on July 9, 2026, where he disclosed that some beneficiaries of the Nkoko Nkitinkiti programme had slaughtered and consumed the birds allocated to them instead of rearing them for commercial production.

The Minister said although the initiative had recorded significant progress in boosting local poultry production, some beneficiaries failed to use the birds for their intended purpose, adding that some even sent him videos of themselves eating the chickens.

Economic indicators look good, but ordinary Ghanaians are yet to feel…

Agric Minister destroyed Nkoko Nkitinkiti with beneficiaries consuming birds comment –…

UENR Alumni Association pays courtesy call on NEIP CEO Eric Adjei