Cocoa farmers in Darso braved heavy evening rains on Friday to petition members of the Minority Caucus in Parliament, marking a dramatic close to the caucus’s week-long tour of cocoa-growing communities in the Ashanti Region.
Gathering as early as 4:00 p.m., the farmers refused to disperse despite hours of torrential rainfall. With no shelter available, many used plantain leaves to shield themselves, waiting in soaked clothing until the delegation arrived later in the evening.
The Minority team, led by Minority Chief Whip and Nsawam-Adoagyiri MP Frank Annoh-Dompreh, was received by the area’s MP, Fred Kyei Asamoah, and greeted by an emotional crowd of farmers.
Farmers voiced frustration over delayed payments, reduced producer prices, and broken promises in the cocoa sector, with some revealing they had not been paid for their produce since October, exacerbating financial struggles in already vulnerable communities.
Addressing the gathering, Mr. Annoh-Dompreh urged farmers to remain hopeful, assuring them that the Minority Caucus would present their concerns to Parliament and demand accountability.
He stressed that the tour was more than symbolic, emphasizing its purpose: to gather firsthand evidence of challenges facing cocoa farmers and advocate for policy interventions to restore fairness and stability in the sector.
The Minority Chief Whip also criticised the government’s management of the cocoa industry, particularly recent reductions in producer prices and alleged delays in payments through Licensed Buying Companies (LBCs). He called for greater transparency, urging the Ghana Cocoa Board to publish detailed payment records to verify government claims.