Former New Patriotic Party (NPP) Municipal and District Chief Executives (MMDCEs) in the Upper East Region have strongly criticised the former Minister for Food and Agriculture, Dr. Bryan Acheampong, over recent comments he made concerning the distribution of fertilisers to farmers during last year’s dry spell in Northern Ghana.

Addressing a press conference on Friday, October 24, 2025, the former MDCEs, led by Daniel Kwame Gariba, DCE for Builsa South, described Dr. Acheampong’s remarks as “misleading and unfair,” insisting that he was attempting to “run away from his shadows” by shifting blame. 

According to him, the Upper East Region received only about five percent of the fertiliser quantities needed at the time, making it impossible for the District Assemblies to adequately support farmers.

The former appointee reading the statement clarified that, contrary to Dr. Acheampong’s claims, the Ministry of Food and Agriculture communicated directly with the District Directors of Agriculture and not with the MDCEs regarding the fertiliser distribution. 

He argued that this left them without the necessary information or authority to coordinate the process effectively.

He further alleged that the fertilisers were delivered just a few days before the 2024 general elections and in very limited quantities, which made any meaningful distribution difficult. 

Mr. Gariba maintained that Dr. Acheampong’s comments were an attempt to tarnish their image and undermine their credibility, especially since many of them have openly declared their support for Vice President Dr. Mahamudu Bawumia as the New Patriotic Party’s flagbearer.

They have therefore called on Dr. Acheampong to issue a public apology not only to them but also to farmers across the region for what they describe as an “unfounded and politically motivated statement.” 

The group emphasised that accountability should begin at the ministerial level, not with those who were never part of the decision-making process.