The Member of Parliament for Offinso North, Dr. Fred Kyei Asamoah, has strongly criticised the government’s decision to reduce the producer price of cocoa, describing it as a betrayal of farmers who supported the ruling administration based on campaign promises.
According to him, instead of reducing the price, the government could have established a special support fund to assist cocoa farmers during this challenging period.
His comments come as the Minority Caucus in Parliament tours cocoa-growing communities in the Ashanti Region to engage farmers on the realities and impact of the price reduction.
Speaking as the son of a cocoa farmer and a beneficiary of the Cocoa scholarship scheme, Dr. Kyei Asamoah said it would be unfair to treat cocoa farmers in such a manner, especially when the government is estimated to have earned about GH₵40 billion from cocoa sales.
He argued that part of those proceeds could have been used to settle the GH₵11 billion debt owed to farmers rather than justify a reduction in the producer price.
“If the government could not increase the price to what was promised, it should at least have maintained it at GH₵3,100, which was the price it inherited,” he said.
Meanwhile, the Member of Parliament for Effiduase/Asokore, Dr. Nana Ayew Afriyie, also criticised the decision and pledged the Minority’s full support for cocoa farmers.
He outlined a three-stage plan by the Minority to hold the government accountable.
According to him, the first step will be to push for the payment of outstanding debts owed to farmers. The second will be to demand the restoration of the producer price to GH₵3,100 per bag, which he said was the level left by the previous New Patriotic Party (NPP) administration.
The final step, he added, will be to hold President John Mahama to his campaign promise of increasing the producer price to GH₵6,000 per bag.
Dr. Ayew Afriyie also urged the President to explore borrowing options, similar to those used to procure presidential aircraft, to raise funds to support cocoa farmers.
“We want him to do that now and will not wait for the next election,” he stated.
Source: adomonline.com
