A federal audit has concluded that Canada's $135 million agricultural aid program in Ghana suffered from poor oversight and planning after thousands of taxpayer-funded motorbikes were delivered without adequate funding for fuel, maintenance or replacement parts.Blacklock's Reporter says the evaluation, obtained through Access to Information, found Global Affairs Canada failed to properly oversee the program, resulting in equipment that many agricultural extension workers could not afford to operate."The evaluation identifies several areas of relative weakness," the report stated.It added that the Department of Foreign Affairs "failed to provide necessary oversight."Under the program, Canadian taxpayers paid for 3,196 motorcycles, 266 pickup trucks, 16 station wagons, along with uniforms and work boots for 2,305 agricultural extension agents in Ghana.The vehicles were intended to help government farm advisers travel to rural communities to provide guidance on irrigation, fertilizer use and modern farming practices.However, consultants found the program failed to account for the ongoing costs of operating the vehicles.The report cited "accountability weaknesses," saying there was "insufficient upfront lifecycle costing," including funding for fuel, maintenance, spare parts and eventual replacement.According to the evaluation by Victoria-based Salasan Consulting, the decision to purchase low-cost motorcycles also contributed to long-term problems."In the procurement of motorbikes, it is suspected that the combination of a fixed target of 3,000 units aligned with the number of agricultural extension agents and a binding budget ceiling constraining procurement choices contributed to the selection of lower cost, lower quality motorcycles," the report said."This decision generated inefficiencies downstream, including limited access to spare parts and reduced lifespan of the bikes.".The Canadian findings echo concerns raised by researchers in Ghana.A 2024 peer-reviewed study published in Cogent Social Sciences found many agricultural workers were unable to use the vehicles because they lacked funding to purchase gasoline."The Government of Ghana distributed pickup vehicles and motorbikes to all the departments of agriculture in each district in the country," the study noted, adding the goal was to improve the mobility of agricultural extension agents.Researchers found the rollout was uneven, with one district assigning six extension workers to serve roughly 36,000 farmers.Many agents reported they quickly ran out of fuel because operating funds were unavailable."The study revealed poor and ineffective utilization of the fund," the researchers concluded, adding that questions surrounding the effectiveness of foreign aid in Africa remain an ongoing topic of debate.While the Canadian evaluation described Ghana as one of West Africa's most stable democracies, it also noted the country faces a 51% poverty rate.The report concluded the $135 million initiative was never likely to achieve the broad agricultural transformation envisioned when the program was launched.
