Presidential hopeful Hon. Kennedy Ohene Agyapong has laid out a bold agricultural and industrialisation blueprint for Northern Ghana, pledging strategic investments that would position the region as the heartbeat of Ghana’s food production and agro-exports.
During a spirited engagement with delegates in Tolon, the New Patriotic Party (NPP) flagbearer aspirant announced plans to convert about 90 percent of the Tamale Airport into a modern cargo terminal dedicated to the export of fresh produce to international markets.
He emphasised that the Northern Region is “geographically blessed” for competitive export because of its favourable flying time to Europe. “From here to London market is only five hours,” he noted. “If we load vegetables at 11pm, by 5am they are already in the UK and European markets. We must use this advantage to create wealth for our farmers.” To support this horticultural export economy, Hon. Agyapong announced plans to build a fertiliser manufacturing plant in the five northern regions a critical step, he said, before fully mechanising agriculture in the area. “Because of the nature of your land, we must mechanise our farms. But before that, we need a fertiliser plant here,” he explained. “You are very close to Tamale. There is no difference. So take advantage of what I’m telling you.” Hon. Agyapong issued a challenge to community leaders to allocate 40,000 acres for a large-scale farming and processing project anchored in Tolon promising visible results even if he does not become President. “Give me 40,000 acres and challenge me,” he said confidently. “Whether I win or not, you will see the farms and the factory I will establish here.” The proposal forms part of a wider agricultural decentralisation agenda Hon. Agyapong has advocated throughout his campaign.
Earlier this year, he announced intentions to relocate the Ministry of Food and Agriculture’s Headquarters and its allied agencies to Northern Ghana, arguing that decisions affecting Ghana’s food production should be made closer to the country’s agricultural heartland. If implemented, this could place the region at the centre of national economic planning, while stimulating job creation, infrastructure growth, and private investment. Residents who attended the gathering welcomed the initiative, describing it as “the most practical and ambitious proposal yet heard in the constituency.” Local youth groups, who are battling rising unemployment, said the promise of large-scale agricultural mechanisation and export could become a game-changer for livelihoods in the region.
Hon. Agyapong stressed that his vision is not based on political rhetoric but on execution and measurable outcomes: “I do not believe in vague promises. I believe in results. I believe in policies that make the farmer rich.” As the NPP’s flagbearer contest intensifies, observers note that Kennedy Agyapong continues to differentiate himself with constituency-specific development pledges, rooted in Ghana’s untapped economic potential.
