Mahama’s administration did more for cocoa farmers – Minority MPs

The Minority in Parliament has rejected suggestions that, the Mahama-led administration did less to improve the lot of the Ghanaian cocoa farmer.

They said there were a number of interventions the previous government implemented to boost production levels and returns.

Addressing a press conference at the Parliament House in Accra, Mr. Eric Opoku, ranking member of the Food and Agriculture and Cocoa Affairs Committee, made reference to the free fertilizer supply, free distribution of cocoa hybrid seedlings to cocoa farmers, construction of solar powered boreholes, schools and roads in cocoa growing areas.

He was responding to, what the Minority say, is an attempt by the government, to downplay the contribution of former President John Mahama, to the growth of the country’s cocoa industry.

Addressing a durbar of chiefs and people at Daboase, in the Wassa East District, President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo is reported to have said that, cocoa production declined from almost a million tonnes to 700 000 tonnes, under former president Mahama.

Mr. Opoku however, disagreed with the assessment made by the President.

“The first highest yield of one million tonnes of cocoa was realized under the Mills/Mahama NDC administration in 2010/2011 cocoa season. The second highest annual cocoa production of 969,000 metric tonnes took place under the watch of President Mahama in the 2016/2017 cocoa season,” he added.

Source: GNA