The Minister for Food and Agriculture has said the rush by residents in Accra and Kumasi to stock up food in readiness for the 14-day lockdown of the two Metropolises is unnecessary.

Owusu Afriyie Akoto says there is enough food to feed the population as a result of the success of the Planting for Food and Jobs programme initiated by the government.

Speaking at a press briefing at the Information Ministry in Accra Monday, Dr. Afriyie Akoto said “there is more than enough food in the system to take us through this very difficult period,” due to the success of the Agric intervention programme.

He also bemoaned the spike in food prices as a result of the rush and the lockdown, stressing it is all “totally unnecessary.”

He reiterated that there is enough capacity to “take care of the citizenry in this period,” adding that Ghana even has enough to export to our neighbours.

Speaking on the effects of the lockdown imposed by the government to curb the spread of the Covid-19, Dr. Afriyie Akoto said those in the food chain are exempted.

He told journalists farmers, those responsible for transporting and selling the foodstuff and food vendors are all exempted.

He advised market women to space up in the markets since there is enough space left from the empty stalls of non-food traders.

The Minister’s reassurances follow the mad rush by residents in Accra and Kumasi to stock up food after President Nana Akufo-Addo announced a two-week lockdown to stop the spread of the new coronavirus.

Market places and supermarkets were full of patrons shopping for food and other essentials.

However, the government has assured that all these goods will be available during the period of the lockdown.

In an address from the Jubilee House, Akufo-Addo said the lockdown had become necessary to stop the virus from spreading.

“We know how to bring the economy back to life. What we do not know is how to bring people back to life,” he said.