Cocoa farmers threaten to demonstrate against COCOBOD

Bibiani (W/R), Feb.23, GNA-Cocoa farmers in the Bibiani cocoa district in the Western Region, have reiterated their call on the Ghana Cocoa Board (COCOBOD) to ensure the payment of their bonuses for the 2003/2004 season without any further delay.

They have therefore, threatened to embark on a demonstration against the board if they were not paid their bonuses within the shortest possible time.

Opanin Robert Kwaku Mosi, the Bibiani Chief farmer of the Akuafo Adamfo Marketing company and spokesman for the farmers told the GNA that the farmers were now fed up with the way officials of COCOBOD were tossing them about.

The situation, he said, had resulted in misunderstanding between farmers and their purchasing clerks in the various societies. Opanin Mosi recounted how angry farmers recently seized a motorbike belonging to a purchasing clerk for the non-payment of their bonus, and said the farmers were now convinced that the non-payment of the bonus was a deliberate attempt by COCOBOD for fraustrate them. He therefore, called on the government to investigate the matter without any further delay to avoid bringing the government's name into disrepute.