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A former Member of Parliament for the opposition National Democratic Congress in the Ejura/Sekyedumase Constituency in the Ashanti Region, Alhaji Issifu Pangabu Mohammed, has blasted members of his party for criticizing the government's flagship Planting for Food and Jobs programme.

Describing the attitude of some of the members of his party as “unpatriotic”, the former NDC legislator says the time has come for the party to swallow their pride and embrace the programme because it's by far the best social policy to be introduced by any government since independence. 

"What I want to tell my people is that they should see some calls as a national one. We must not play politics with everything. The Planting for Food and Jobs programme is a national call and I want my party members to embrace it," he pleaded. 

The former MP, who made the call when the Minister of Food and Agriculture, Dr. Owusu Afriyie Akoto paid a working visit to his farms at Ejura, said it saddens his heart that despite the glaring evidence of successes some members of his party still continue to oppose the programme. 

"Look here my brother, since this government introduced the PFJ programme, I have seen several members of the NDC in this constituency who have benefited from the supply of the inputs. So I don't understand why my party continues to speak against it," he wondered. 

Adding that, "I bought my first Land Cruiser through PFJ programme."

The NDC MP has stated that as a farmer and a beneficiary of the PFJ initiative, he managed for the first time to purchase a brand new Toyota Land Cruiser for his personal use.

He said after recording bumper harvest of maize and soybean through the programme, he recorded huge profit for which reason he was able to buy a brand new car for his comfort. 

"Can you believe that as a farmer I was able to purchase a brand new land cruiser because of this programme?  Why should people oppose it, it's very good and I want everyone to be part," he said.

The NDC MP is also one of the local seed producers who were awarded a contract to produce and supply seeds under the PFJ programme. 

He is currently doing 500 acres of maize at Ejura and Amanten.  He is also sponsoring 150 out-growers who are cultivating between 20-30 acres.