A New Patriotic Party (NPP) Constituency Chairman hopeful for Sefwi Wiawso, Isaac Asamoah Boadu, has accused the National Democratic Congress (NDC) government of neglecting cocoa farmers and abandoning several agricultural interventions that previously supported farmers across the country.
Speaking on Kro Yi Mu Nsem with Nana Asare Kesse on Sefwinews, Isaac Asamoah Boadu emphasized the critical role cocoa production plays in the economy of the Western North Region and Ghana as a whole.
According to him, cocoa remains one of Ghana’s most important economic commodities, contributing significantly to the nation’s economy, with the Western North Region accounting for a substantial share of production.
“Cocoa is Sefwi, and Sefwi is cocoa,” he stated.
He argued that the challenges facing cocoa farmers reflect broader difficulties within the agricultural sector, noting that poultry farmers and other agricultural producers are also calling for government support.
Mr. Asamoah Boadu compared agricultural conditions under different administrations, claiming that during the NPP government, cashew was sold at GH¢25 per kilogram, whereas the current price has fallen to about GH¢8 per kilogram.
Touching on leadership in the sector, he criticized the Minister for Food and Agriculture, Eric Opoku, said he has failed cocoa farmers despite his experience in the agricultural sector.
He attributed the current challenges to what he described as poor policy direction and implementation.
He further claimed that the NDC government, led by President John Dramani Mahama, has no clear plan to improve conditions for farmers or strengthen agribusiness in the country.
He also questioned government expenditure in the agricultural sector, claiming that if the government had a better plan for farmers, the Finance Minister would not have allegedly misled Ghanaians regarding funds allocated to the Ministry of Food and Agriculture.
Asamoah Boadu further stated that one of the key agricultural promises made by the NDC government was the provision of mechanised boreholes on farms, but claim that the initiative has yet to be implemented.
He further alleged that the eight NDC Members of Parliament from the Western North Region have failed to advocate effectively for cocoa farmers, contributing to the decline in cocoa prices and worsening the hardships faced by farmers in the region.
He noted that many of these MPs benefited directly or indirectly from cocoa farming during their upbringing and were therefore well-positioned to speak on behalf of farmers but have remained silent on their concerns.
According to him, cocoa pricing under the NPP administration did not experience the sharp declines currently being witnessed by farmers.
He highlighted several agricultural interventions introduced by the NPP government to improve productivity and support farmers. These included the Cocoa Bonus Scheme, free fertiliser distribution, free cocoa seedlings, mass cocoa spraying programmes, COCOBOD scholarships, the Cocoa Farmers Pension Scheme, cocoa rehabilitation projects, free plantain suckers, and cocoa pollination initiatives.
He further stated that the NPP administration established three agricultural support centres across the country, including one at Dadieso, to produce plantain suckers for cocoa rehabilitation projects.
According to him, under the cocoa rehabilitation programme, labourers were employed to weed cocoa farms in producing communities, with GH¢1,000 reportedly paid per hectare, including compensation for chiefs as custodians of the land.
Mr. Asamoah Boadu also highlighted the introduction of drone technology under the previous NPP government to support healthcare delivery in cocoa-growing communities, including one in Sefwi Wiawso.
However, he alleged that three of these drone centres, including the facility in Sefwi Wiawso, have ceased operations due to debt-related challenges, affecting healthcare delivery in farming communities.
Mr. Asamoah Boadu claimed that many of these interventions have been abandoned by the current administration, leaving cocoa farmers without the support they previously received.
