In a scathing critique of the current government's management of Ghana's cocoa sector, former President and National Democratic Congress (NDC) Presidential Candidate John Dramani Mahama has accused the government of driving the industry to the brink of collapse.
Speaking to fervent party supporters and branch executives during the initiation of a two-day campaign tour in the Western North Region, Mahama pointedly laid blame on the government's mismanagement, particularly its failure to annually adjust the producer price of cocoa.
Underlying his concerns, Mahama emphasized the stark contrast between the policies of the previous NDC administration and the current government's approach.
"Under the previous NDC administration, we ensured that there was an upward adjustment in the producer price every year. But that is not the case with this government. Price adjustments are taking place after four years. This is what is collapsing the sector,” he asserted.
The repercussions of such policy discrepancies have not gone unnoticed. Mahama highlighted the plight of farmers who are grappling with delayed payments and diminishing profits from cocoa farming.
He illustrated his point with a poignant anecdote about a farmer willing to forsake cocoa cultivation in favor of galamsey (illegal mining), a testament to the dire state of the cocoa sector.
Mahama's sentiments resonated with the audience, many of whom were farmers themselves or had familial ties to the struggling sector.
He voiced their frustrations, "He doesn’t mind selling his farm for galamsey because there’s no profit from the cocoa business today. Payment of farmers for their cocoa purchases is no longer instant and they do not get any bonus. Farmers must now wait for three to four months to receive payment.”
The former president's concerns have gained traction as he embarks on a comprehensive tour of nine constituencies in the Western North Region, underscoring the urgency of addressing the crisis in the cocoa sector.
His campaign aims to advocate for revitalizing the industry by promoting policies that prioritize fair pricing and timely payments to farmers.