The Minority in Parliament has lashed out at the Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo government for deceiving cocoa farmers in the country.
According to the Minority, the recent increase in cocoa prices by the government is a rip-off on the farmers.
In a press conference in the Ahafo Region, the Minority Leader, Dr. Cassiel Ato Forson accused the government of shortchanging the farmers.
He said farmers should have received at least
GH¢2,500 per cocoa bag, considering the high price of cocoa on the international market.
He contended that the price of cocoa had experienced its most significant rise since 1977 and accused the government of taking advantage of cocoa farmers.
“In fact, from 2013 to 2016, I supervised the increase in cocoa prices. The truth is one and indisputable. Two factors influence the increase in cocoa prices: the strength of the Cedi and the price of cocoa on the international market. As a country, we both import and export goods,” said the Ajumako Enyan Essiam MP.
“So when we import goods and the Cedi is weak, prices go up, just as when we export goods, we should make a profit. Currently, cocoa prices have seen the most substantial increment since 1977, so it is your season to make a profit. If the NDC were in government, we would have set the price of a cocoa bag at GH&2,500 and added a premium of GH&300.
So you would have received GH&2,800 per bag, ” he added.
Meanwhile, Minority Spokesperson on Agriculture and Cocoa Affairs, Eric Opoku, dismissed the NPP government’s claims of doing something extraordinary, arguing that the cocoa price on the international market had reached a record high. He touted the NDC’s record in dealing with cocoa farmers as superior.
Source: Ghana/DenkyiramanRadio/919 FM/TRIMUDEHEMAA YAA OFORIWAAA
