Presidential hopeful and former Assin Central MP, Kennedy Agyapong, has laid out a bold and pragmatic vision for Ghana’s development, stressing the urgent need for a shift from “empty theories” to practical, grassroots-driven solutions.
Agyapong highlighted agriculture, industrial processing, and value addition as critical pillars of his presidential ambition, speaking on Pan African TV’s “Real Talk” with veteran journalist Kwesi Pratt, which MyNewsGh monitored.
“Enough is enough of the theories. We need a selfless, bold, decisive and pragmatic leader. Someone who is brilliant on the basics,” he said.
Agyapong shared numerous examples from his engagements with Ghanaian youth involved in agriculture, explaining how raw materials such as coconut, cassava, mango, maize, plantain, pineapple, and sugarcane can be transformed into exportable products—boosting jobs and reducing import dependency.
He lamented that critical resources are underutilized. “Coconut shells can be used for charcoal and fertilizer. Mangoes can be dried and turned into snacks. Pineapple peel can be used in perfume. Cassava can produce over 30 products, from ethanol to starch for pharmaceuticals,” he added.
Kennedy Agyapong emphasized that countries like Thailand, Brazil, and Kenya have built strong value chains around these same crops, generating billions without external financial aid. He cited how Ghana could save over $2 billion annually by producing its own ethanol from maize instead of importing it.
