We're suffering under Akufo-Addo, make fertilisers free again in your second coming – Mahama told

A cocoa farmer at Kasapin in the Ahafo Region, Agya Ntow, has pleaded with the flagbearer of the National Democratic Congress (NDC), John Dramani Mahama, to make fertilisers free for farmers if he wins the December polls and becomes President in 2021.

Speaking at a durbar of farmers and community members during former President Mahama’s SpeakOut tour, Agya Ntow said cocoa farmers are suffering under the Akufo-Addo government.

Lamenting the challenges facing farmers in the area, Agya Ntow said: “John Mahama helped cocoa farmers when he was president; the way he even increased cocoa prices was encouraging but for close to four years now, how much money has been given to cocoa farmers? The fertilisers Mahama distributed freely to cocoa farmers is being sold today to us”.

“The opposition claimed the fertilisers were of poor quality when Mahama gave them to us for free but they were all lies. We know in 2021, John Mahama will become president and when you do, our request is that you pay particular attention to cocoa farmers and help us to prosper because the world over, farmers are the richest but the reverse is the case in Ghana.

“So, when you become president, cocoa farmers need products that can enable us harvest more cocoa. Although today, we are buying fertilisers, we know in 2021, you will give them to us for free”.

The SpeakOut initiative, according to the NDC, is a strategy to enable Mr Mahama to better-appreciate the personal desires and expectations of the people, the needs of their communities and what they consider should be the priorities of the government toward improving their standard of living and enhancing social infrastructure.