The Minority Chief Whip and Member of Parliament for Nsawam-Adoagyiri, Frank Annoh-Dompreh, has cautioned the ruling National Democratic Congress (NDC) government against allowing Ghana’s cocoa industry to deteriorate, warning that such a development could render the sacrifices of generations of cocoa farmers meaningless.
Mr. Annoh-Dompreh made the remarks at the Mampong-Ohum Festival in the Eastern Region, where he joined Akuapem North MP Sammi Awuku and residents to celebrate the annual festival.
His comments followed concerns raised by the Chief of Mampong, Nana Dartey, over the abandoned Millennium Village project in the community, which is historically associated with the development of cocoa following the introduction of cocoa to Ghana by Tetteh Quarshie.
The Minority Chief Whip said the concerns about the abandoned project should also prompt wider reflection on the current state of the cocoa industry and the welfare of farmers who have sustained the sector for generations.
Mr. Annoh-Dompreh, who has recently led a nationwide engagement with cocoa farmers, said complaints gathered during his tour point to growing dissatisfaction over producer prices and delayed payments.
He argued that cocoa farming risks becoming less attractive to farmers if they are unable to obtain adequate returns from their produce and receive payment on time.
According to him, the situation requires urgent attention because cocoa is not merely an agricultural commodity but an industry built through the sacrifices of generations of Ghanaian farmers.
The legislator warned that the NDC government must take steps to restore confidence in the sector and ensure that cocoa farming remains economically viable.
The Nsawam-Adoagyiri MP said the concerns identified during his cocoa tour had been documented in a report, which was subsequently submitted to former Vice President and NPP presidential candidate, Dr. Mahamudu Bawumia.
He said the report captures concerns raised by farmers and other stakeholders during the tour and is intended to inform policy discussions on the future of Ghana’s cocoa sector.
Hon. Annoh-Dompreh indicated that the Minority and stakeholders are now awaiting Dr. Bawumia’s policy statement on the findings and recommendations contained in the report.
He said the expectation is that the concerns from cocoa-growing communities will form part of the policy conversation on how to restore the sector, improve farmer welfare and make cocoa farming attractive to the next generation.
“Let’s not collapse the cocoa sector by allowing the suffering of our ancestors to be in vain,” Mr. Annoh-Dompreh warned, urging government to do everything possible to protect the industry and the livelihoods of cocoa farmers.
He maintained that the future of the cocoa industry must be approached with urgency, given its historical importance and the generations of farmers who have invested their labour in building the sector.
