Nana Yaa Asantewaa, the Public Relations Officer for the Ghana National Cocoa Farmers Association (GNACOFA), has issued a stark warning regarding the increasing trend of cocoa farmers selling their land to illegal miners.
She describes the situation as a serious national crisis that requires immediate intervention.
During a discussion on Rainbow Radio 87.5FM’s Nyankonton Mu Nsem, Nana Yaa Asantewaa explained that many cocoa farmers are driven to sell their farms due to poor financial returns.
She claimed that leaders are the primary beneficiaries of the farmers’ labor, while successive governments have failed to honor their promises to the cocoa farming community.
According to Nana Yaa Asantewaa, illegal miners are offering sums of money that farmers find impossible to refuse.
“The cocoa farmers who are selling their farms to illegal miners are doing so because of the money involved,” she stated.
She contrasted the past, when cocoa farmers could afford to build homes and buy cars, with the present, where they can barely afford a bicycle.
She likened the situation to a professional accepting a significantly higher salary offer, arguing that the farmers cannot be blamed for making a pragmatic financial decision.
The GNACOFA has made an urgent appeal to the government to revise the price of cocoa.
The association highlights a significant concern: the current cocoa price is based on an outdated exchange rate of GHC 10.25 to the dollar, while the new rate stands at GHC 13.00. This disparity, compounded by rising production costs and inflation, is severely reducing farmers’ real income.
To ensure fair compensation, GNACOFA is urging the Ghana Cocoa Board (COCOBOD) and the Ministry of Finance to immediately adjust the cocoa price to reflect the current exchange rate.
The association is also advocating for a transparent pricing system that automatically adapts to economic changes and for the inclusion of farmers and other stakeholders in future pricing policy discussions.
GNACOFA warns that failing to address this issue could lead to a decline in national cocoa production. The association has expressed its readiness to collaborate with the government to establish a fair and sustainable pricing structure.
By: Rainbowradioonline.com/Ghana
