Profile Of Hon. Clement Kofi Humado

Minister of Agriculture nominee, Mr Humado was born on December 18, 1953 at Anlo to the late John Kobla Humado and Madam Grace Abla Humado of Alakple in the Keta Municipality of the Volta Region. He graduated from the University of Ghana at Legon in 1976 where he studied Animal Science and Agricultural Extension; completed a Certificate in Monitoring and Evaluation of Public Sector Projects and Programmes course at the University of East Anglia, Norwich, England. He obtained a Graduate Diploma in Agricultural Administration (1980); Bachelor of Science in Agriculture (1976) from the University of Ghana, Legon; Master of Philosophy in Governance and Leadership from Ghana Institute of Management and Public Administration (GIMPA) in 2002. In 1985, he completed a Certificate in Monitoring and Evaluation in England and did other certificate courses in 1989 at GIMPA. Mr Humado has worked in various capacities and as a consultant in agriculture and finance in various organizations including Head of Monitoring and Evaluation Unit of the Volta Region Agricultural Development Project (1982-1987). Expatriate and Evaluation Specialist the North Western Province Area Development Project, Republic of Zambia (1987-1988); National Officer United Nations World Food Programme-Ghana (1990-1991); Deputy Project Manager/Monitoring and Evaluation Coordinator, International Fund for Agriculture in the Gambia, Sierra Leone and Ghana (1991-1999). He has also undertaken several consultancy assignments for the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) from 2002 to 2004. He entered politics in 2000 when he joined the Alakple branch of the National Democratic Congress. In 2004 contested and won the Anlo Parliamentary seat and has since been a Member of Parliament. In 2005 Mr Humado served on many of the Parliamentary Committees. Among them were, Special Committee on Poverty Reduction Strategy (Chairman), Committee on Food, Agriculture and Cocoa Affairs, Deputy Ranking Member of Select Committee on Science and Environment. He was appointed Minister of Youth and Sports by the late President John Evans Atta Mills. Mr Humado loves to play Lawn Tennis and organizing volunteers for community development and he is the Executive Director of a small NGO called Rural Upgrade Support Organization (RUSO). Married with five children. Mr. Humado indicated that when given the nod, he will want to see that GMOs are used by commercial farmers saying, �we have to let the situation be liberal and so farmers who are interested in all types of seeds including GMO seeds should be allowed to use it. I will want to see that GMOs are used by commercial farmers.� he said more commercial farmers will be made to practice irrigation to increase produce. According to him people fail to invest in agriculture due to risk but mentioned that he will make the sector attractive to attract more investment. Mr. Humado also promised to convene a stakeholder meeting very soon to look at fertilizer subsidy since the planting season is almost upon us. According to him, Ghana needs to work with fertilizer importers ahead of time so that they can bring in large quantities of the product to aid in farming activities in the country. Fertilizer pricing will also be reviewed and he will work with securities agencies at the borders of Ghana to curb fertilizer smuggling in and out of the country. On poultry, he noted that President Mahama wants results so he will improve poultry farming by identifying commercial farmers and out growers to plant yellow corn on large basis for the poultry farmers. The youth will be used in this sector while targets will also be given to the youth in agriculture. Mr. Humado said the crop sector has done relatively well but with the production of rice, Ghana is far from self sufficiency.