The Communications Officer of the National Democratic Congress (NDC) in the Dormaa East Constituency, Maxwell Yeboah, has dismissed the Minority Caucus’ recent engagement with cocoa farmers at Kyenkyenease as a political spectacle rather than a genuine show of support.
According to him, the visit—led by Minority Chief Whip, Frank Annor Dompreh—was little more than a gathering of party officials and did not directly benefit the cocoa farmers it was purported to support.
Mr. Yeboah argued that the challenges facing the cocoa sector, particularly the drop in global cocoa prices from about $8,000 to $3,000, have forced difficult decisions.
He explained that maintaining the previous producer price of GH¢3,600 under such conditions would have placed a heavy burden on the economy, potentially requiring the government to borrow to sustain payments to farmers. This, he said, informed the reduction of the producer price to GH¢2,500.
Despite the price adjustment, he insisted the government remains committed to supporting cocoa farmers through additional incentives.
These include the supply of free agrochemicals, road construction in cocoa-growing communities, and the establishment of Community-based Health Planning and Services (CHPS) compounds to improve access to healthcare.
“These interventions show the government’s continued commitment to the welfare of cocoa farmers,” he noted.
Mr. Yeboah maintained that the Minority’s visit to Kyenkyenease failed to address the real concerns of farmers and was instead targeted at energising New Patriotic Party (NPP) constituency and branch executives.
He added that the reasons behind the reduction in cocoa prices have been clearly communicated to farmers, many of whom, he claimed, understand and have accepted the situation.
He further urged farmers to remain calm as the government works to clear outstanding payments owed to them. At the same time, he raised concerns about the conduct of some purchasing clerks, accusing them of exploiting the situation for political gain by underpaying farmers despite funds being released.
Mr. Yeboah concluded that the Minority’s visit had little to no impact on the NDC in Dormaa East, describing it as an exercise that was largely unnoticed by the party at the local level.