I will rebound collapsing cocoa sector - John Mahama assures

Former President John Dramani Mahama on Friday, ended his two-day tour of the Central with a pledge to rebound growth in agriculture particularly the cocoa sector.

Reacting to some concerns of farmers at separate durbars, the Flagbearer of the National Democratic Congress (NDC), said the cocoa sector played a pivotal role in Ghana’s economy.

However, due to ill-thought policies by the ruling New Patriotic Party (NPP) government, the once buoyant cocoa industry was on the verge of collapse.

The former President said the NDC government’s supply of free fertilizer, seedlings, and inputs to cocoa farmers led to an increase in the annual crop yield, but that policy change by the current government had drastically national yield.

“When we started giving out free fertilizers, it was because we realised it would help improve yield, and in the 2016/17 crop year, we recorded a massive increase in produce.

“I cannot understand why this government will decide to stop that and sell the fertilizers to the farmers… It is wickedness to leave the fertilizer in warehouses because the farmers cannot buy them,” he indicated.

Mr Mahama promised to bolster the country’s cocoa sector with well-thought-out policy interventions towards enhancing the cocoa value chain, a vital sector to the country’s economic recovery.

The move is not only geared towards increasing the income of cocoa farmers, but also towards creating employment opportunities and fostering economic development in these regions.

As well, Mr Mahama said the fisheries sub-sector had encountered depressing outputs for some time now, ”resulting in very high deficits in national fish supply, relative to demand and consumption requirements”.

His major concerns in the fishing industry included weak infrastructure to develop the post-harvest sub-sector, unsafe and insanitary landing beaches and the proliferation of illegal fishing methods and activities.

Therefore, the NDC government’s construction of the processing plant would help ”reduce post-harvest losses, add value to the fish catch and thereby optimise the value the nation derives from its fishing industry.”

For premix fuel, Mr Mahama accused the government of undermining the efforts of artisanal fishers and contributing to the challenges they faced.

“When we were in power, we set up the landing beach committee, and at that time, anyone could be a member. The premix was distributed judiciously.

“But now, fuel diversion and mismanagement of the distribution of premix fuel appear to have reached its peak. The NPP government is politicising the distribution,” he criticised.

Mr Mahama on Friday began a two-day campaign tour of the Central Region dubbed: “Building Ghana”.

He interacted with traditional authorities, supporters, and interest groups across the Region.