Pious Kwame Nkuah, Member of Parliament for Akontombra Constituency in the Western North Region, has criticized the previous NPP government for its handling of the cocoa industry.
In an interview with TV XYZ, monitored by Sefwinews, Kwame Nkuah accused the NPP of playing politics with the cocoa sector, which he believes contributed to a decline in the industry’s fortunes.
According to Pious Kwame Nkuah, Ghana was once the world’s leading producer of cocoa, but the NPP’s lack of strategic planning and implementation led to a significant drop in production.
He highlighted the cancellation of the free fertilizer policy, introduced by the NDC, as a critical misstep that negatively impacted cocoa farmers.
He also expressed concerns about the low producer price of cocoa, which he described as unfair to farmers.
Kwame Nkuah alleged that farmers were being shortchanged, as they received a lower price for their produce, while the government benefitted from selling it at a higher price on the international market.
Furthermore, he criticized the selective distribution of chemicals under the NPP, which made it difficult for many farmers to access the resources necessary to maintain their cocoa farms.
Despite these challenges, Kwame Nkuah expressed optimism about the future of Ghana’s cocoa sector under the new Agriculture Minister, Eric Opoku.
He commended President John Mahama’s farmer-centered policies, which he believes will help Ghana regain its position as a leader in the cocoa industry.
