Cocoa Farmers at Ntotroso, a mining community in the Asutifi North District of the Ahafo Region have amplified their voices, urging the government to alleviate their plights, and to keep them in the cocoa producing business.
They also called on the government to do something about the reduction of the cocoa producer price, and pay them immediately, describing their present socio-economic condition as appalling.
The aggrieved farmers said the reduction in the cocoa producer price and delays in government payment were discouraging, making cocoa farming unattractive in the area.
They shared their concerns during an interaction with the Minority Caucus in Parliament at Ntotroso, a mining community in the Newmont Ahafo South concessional area.
A farmer who spoke on condition of anonymity said he migrated from the Northern part of the country to farm and added that he would be left without any option than to leave cocoa farming and return to the North to engage in cattle rearing.
“I am a Grusi and John Mahama is a Gonja. I am unhappy about what he is doing to us and so please tell him to do something about our condition”, he stated.
Another female cocoa farmer recounted that since her husband died 16 years ago, cocoa farming remained the only source of socio-economic livelihood for her and the entire family.
She noted that the government had been unfaithful to the cocoa farmers, saying that: “We are now struggling to provide for the needs of our families”.
Earlier, Mr Frank Annoh-Dompreh, the Minority Chief Whip and the MP for Nsawam Adoagyiri told the farmers that the caucus was in the area to listen to their problems and concerns and to find lasting solutions.
He emphasised that Parliament remained dedicated to amplifying the voices and concerns of cocoa farmers and calmed their nerves, assuring that the MPs would do everything possible for their concerns to be addressed, and their plights alleviated.
Source: GNA
