A cocoa farmer at Kasapin in the Ahafo Region, Agya Ntow is confident that the flagbearer of the National Democratic Congress (NDC), John Mahama, will make fertilisers free for farmers if he wins the 2020 December polls.
He said cocoa farmers are suffering under the government of President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo.
Stating the challenges facing farmers in the area, Agya Ntow said: “John Mahama helped cocoa farmers when he was president; the way he even increased cocoa prices were encouraging but for close to four years now, how much money has been given to cocoa farmers? The fertilisers Mahama distributed freely to cocoa farmers are being sold today to us”.
The farmer made this known at a durbar of farmers during Mahama’s visit to the Ahafo Region as part of his ‘Speakout’ tour.
The cocoa farmer added that “The opposition claimed the fertilisers were of poor quality when Mahama gave them to us for free but they were all lies. We know in 2021, John Mahama will become president and when you do, our request is that you pay particular attention to cocoa farmers and help us to prosper because the world over, farmers are the richest but the reverse is the case in Ghana.
“So, when you become president, cocoa farmers need products that can enable us to harvest more cocoa. Although today, we are buying fertilisers, we know in 2021, you will give them to us for free.”
Earlier, Mahama said he feels sorry for the plight of cocoa farmers.
According to him, it is wicked on the part of the NPP government to stop the supply of free fertilisers to cocoa farmers and rather allow the fertilisers to expire.
He said the NDC administration implemented some good policies for cocoa farmers, but all that has been undone by the current government.
“I feel very sad for our cocoa farmers. We had good plans and started implementing good policies for the cocoa sector,” he stressed.
He assured that the NDC will implement people-friendly policies and initiatives when the party returns to power.
