KOJO OPPONG NKRUMAH PLEDGES TO FIGHT FOR WHAT IS DUE COCOA FARMERS

The Ofoase-Ayirebi MP, Kojo Oppong Nkrumah, has promised a sustained parliamentary effort to secure the rightful earnings of cocoa farmers, insisting the Minority will not back down “even if it takes years” to recover what is owed to them.

This assurance came during an engagement with farmers at Akyekrom, a cocoa-growing community in his constituency, as part of a broader Minority Caucus tour of farming areas in the Eastern Region. This outreach follows the recent reduction in cocoa producer prices, a move that has caused unrest among farmers across producing regions.

While President John Dramani Mahama and the Ghana Cocoa Board (COCOBOD) attribute the reduction in cocoa prices to declining global cocoa prices and financial pressures within the sector, opposition New Patriotic Party parliamentarians argue the decision unfairly shifts the burden onto farmers already struggling with rising input costs and household expenses.

Addressing the gathering at Akyekrom, Oppong Nkrumah said he had previously met privately with farmers, during which they expressed frustration over the current pricing system and delayed payments.

His latest visit aimed to listen directly to their grievances, assess the situation firsthand, and assure farmers that their concerns would be vigorously pursued in Parliament.

Farmers reportedly complained that government announcements about fund releases had not resulted in actual payments at the farm gate, with some still waiting for funds they’ve been told were disbursed. Others mourned broader economic challenges, including unsold rice stocks, which they blamed on increased rice imports that affect local demand.

In response, Oppong Nkrumah assured farmers that the Minority Caucus would hold the government accountable and push for transparency about cocoa payments and related interventions. He stressed that the fight was not a short-term political move but a sustained effort to protect livelihoods and ensure fairness across the cocoa value chain.

“Even if it takes years, we shall fight for what is due you,” he told farmers, drawing applause from parts of the crowd.

The Minority delegation, touring cocoa-growing communities in the Eastern Region, says it will continue to engage with farmers and raise their concerns at the national level, emphasizing that cocoa farmers are vital to economic stability and deserve predictable pricing, timely payments, and policies that safeguard their income.