Nsunan: Nana Kwame Panyin I, the Chief of Nsunan in the Agona West Municipality of the Central Region, has reiterated calls on President John Mahama to revert the farm gate producer price of cocoa reduction and put measures in place to cushion them.
According to Ghana News Agency, the Chief stated that cocoa farmers were currently going through terrible financial crisis because payment for their recent sale of cocoa beans had unduly been delayed.
Nana Panyin appealed to President Mahama to assist the farmers financially by creating an emergency fund, to be channelled through Purchasing Clerks (PCs) for disbursement to the farmers. This appeal was made during a meeting with the Minority Caucus in Parliament, led by its leader Alexander Afenyo-Markin, who met the cocoa farmers to discuss issues affecting their wellbeing at Nsunan.
The Chief highlighted that the wives of male cocoa farmers were leaving them due to reduced income caused by last year's arrears owed by the Ghana Cocoa Board (COCOBOD). He further noted that another difficulty confronting cocoa farmers was the high cost of farm inputs such as chemicals, fertilizers, wellington boots, and labor.
Nana Panyin expressed concerns about the struggles farmers face in paying their children's school fees, particularly for those in tertiary institutions. He recalled how farmers had supported the NDC during the election campaign, only to feel let down when promises made in 2024 were not fulfilled.
Despite the challenges, Nana Panyin expressed optimism that President Mahama would listen and revert the decision to reduce the price of a bag of cocoa from 3,500 to GHC2,500 to ensure financial stability for the farmers. Some of the cocoa farmers echoed the Chief's sentiments, urging the government to implement mechanisms to alleviate their current hardships.