The Minority Caucus in Parliament has presented its nationwide Cocoa Farmers Engagement Report to former Vice President Dr. Mahamudu Bawumia following extensive consultations with cocoa farmers, purchasing clerks, traditional leaders, and key stakeholders across Ghana’s cocoa-growing regions.
The engagement, led by Minority Chief Whip Hon. Frank Annoh-Dompreh, sought to gather firsthand information on the challenges confronting cocoa farmers and the broader cocoa industry.
According to the report, farmers raised concerns over reduced cocoa producer prices, delays in payments, lack of readily available markets for their produce, and the increasing economic hardship affecting farming communities.
Receiving the report, Dr. Bawumia assured stakeholders that the concerns highlighted would be carefully reviewed and considered in the development of future policy proposals aimed at strengthening the cocoa sector.
He reaffirmed the New Patriotic Party’s (NPP) commitment to safeguarding the welfare of cocoa farmers, noting that the Akufo-Addo administration maintained cocoa prices despite challenges in the global market and implemented several interventions to improve productivity and support farmers’ livelihoods.
Dr. Bawumia emphasized the critical role cocoa farmers play in Ghana’s economy and pledged continued efforts to address the challenges facing the sector.
The Minority Caucus also reiterated its commitment to amplifying the voices of cocoa farmers and advocating practical solutions to the issues confronting the agricultural sector.