Mr Frank Annoh-Dompreh, the Minority Chief Whip has intensified criticisms against the government’s decision to reduce cocoa producer prices, questioning whether President John Dramani Mahama would have taken the same step in an election year.
Interacting with some cocoa farmers at Akokoamon in the Tano North Constituency of the Ahafo Region, Mr Annoh-Dompreh said: “The timing of the price reduction is politically calculated.”
He added that the government might be positioning itself to restore or increase prices closer to the Election 2028 to gain voter support.
The Whip, also the Member of Parliament (MP) for Nsawam Adoagyiri, leading some members of the Minority Caucus on a tour of some cocoa farming communities in the Afafo Region, said they were in the Region to listen to the concerns of the cocoa farmers and amplify their voices in parliament to address their plight.
His criticisms followed the widespread discontent of cocoa farmers following the government’s decision to reduce the cocoa producer price from GH¢3,625 to GH¢2,587 per bag.
Mr Annoh-Dompreh regretted that the reduction in the producer price of cocoa and the government’s delays in paying the cocoa farmers were unfair to farmers whose livelihoods depended heavily on cocoa production.
He said the reduction was unjustifiable, arguing that the “burden is being shifted onto already struggling farmers.”
Mr. Annoh-Dompreh accused the government of misplaced priorities, alleging that while cocoa farmers were grappling with reduced incomes and delayed payments, the government continued to spend heavily on its internal structures.
He claimed, that, “Each constituency office of the governing NDC receives GH¢20,000 monthly, with regional offices receiving up to GH¢100,000” and questioned why similar urgency was not applied to addressing farmers’ concerns.
Dr Gideon Boako, the MP for Tano North, also criticised the government for what he described as a “rollback of benefits previously enjoyed by cocoa farmers”.
He accused the government of failing to fulfil Election 2024 campaign promises, including commitments to significantly improve cocoa pricing and farmer welfare.
Some of the farmers also expressed their frustration over the price cut, noting that rising costs of labour, fertiliser and transportation had made cocoa farming increasingly unsustainable.
According to them, if urgent steps were not taken to reverse the decision or provide relief, the situation could worsen and thereby threaten the livelihoods of the cocoa-growing communities.
By Augustine Agyapong, GNA