The Minority Caucus has lashed out at the NDC government for what it calls a deliberate string of excuses aimed at avoiding its own campaign promise to cocoa farmers.
In a press statement on July 29, Ranking Member on the Food, Agriculture and Cocoa Affairs Committee, Dr. Isaac Yaw Opoku, said government’s delay in increasing the producer price of cocoa amounts to betrayal and deception.
He described the NDC’s conduct as a clear case of “One Price, Many Excuses,” lamenting that in the seven months since taking office, “not even one pesewa has been added to the producer price of cocoa.”
Dr. Opoku accused the government of attempting to use COCOBOD officials to “clandestinely” convince farmers to accept what he described as “a potentially ridiculous price for the upcoming season” while pretending to be engaging stakeholders in good faith.
The Offinso South MP said cocoa farmers were promised a minimum of GH¢6,000 per bag during the 2024 election campaign, and that “the time to honour their promises is long overdue.”
Farmers, he said, “have heard enough of the numerous excuses by this government,” and are growing impatient.
Dr. Opoku claimed that between January and July alone, the government has come up with at least seven excuses to dodge its own pledge.
“One Month, One Excuse! Producer Price Baako, Excuses Bebree,” the NPP MP declared.
He listed the excuses as COCOBOD’s debt, rollover contracts, the absence of the Producer Price Review Committee, the absence of a Board of Directors, missing jute sacks, high cost of controlling the Cocoa Swollen Shoot Virus and constructing cocoa roads, and the appreciation of the cedi.
Dr. Opoku questioned the lack of transparency around cocoa revenue.
“Can the same government also tell Ghanaians how much revenue cocoa sales have generated so far in the 2024/25 season as well? Is the amount over $3 billion, as we are hearing? Ghanaians need to know.”
With the new 2025/26 crop season just days away, he insisted that farmers expect nothing less than the GH¢6,000 per bag they were promised.
He also demanded arrears of GH¢2,900 per bag covering the period from January to July. He reminded the public of past promises by the President and COCOBOD leadership.
“The President emphasised and assured Ghanaians that ‘cocoa farmers will be VERY VERY HAPPY’ when the new producer price is announced in August,” he said.
In a final push, Dr. Opoku urged the President to “kindly redeem your promise when the new cocoa price is announced in August.”
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