A/R: Aggrieved Cocoa Farmers Ditch NDC Meeting to Engage with Minority in Parliament
Farmers reject last-minute NDC engagement over cocoa price cuts, citing lack of prior consultation and growing mistrust amid heightened tensions at Bonkrom.
- Aggrieved cocoa farmers in Ahafo Ano North rejected an NDC meeting and instead engaged with the Minority in Parliament.
- Farmers accused the NDC of poor timing and lack of consultation following a drastic reduction in cocoa prices
- Tensions escalated at Bonkrom, prompting a heavy security presence during the Minority’s engagement
Aggrieved cocoa farmers in the Ahafo Ano North District of the Ashanti Region have ditched a meeting with the NDC leadership to engage with the Minority in Parliament.
According to the farmers, the NDC leadership in the district scheduled a meeting with them on the same day the Minority had also arranged to meet them, forcing them to reject the NDC’s invitation.
The farmers revealed that the NDC set up tents just opposite the venue for the Minority’s meeting at Bonkrom, causing anxiety among farmers and community members.
Speaking to journalists during the Minority’s engagement with cocoa farmers on Tuesday, the farmers said they were not ready to engage any NDC officials over cocoa prices.
“They have no regard for us. How can you drastically reduce the price and then decide to meet us? What exactly are you going to tell us?” a farmer said.
“If the NDC government had any iota of respect for farmers, they would have engaged us before the price reduction. None of this happened, so why now?”
The situation necessitated a heavy security presence during the Minority’s engagement with hundreds of farmers at Bonkrom.
