Mahama questions gov’t for selling ‘free fertilizer’ to cocoa farmers

Former President John Dramani Mahama has questioned what he said is the government’s decision to sell fertilizers to cocoa farmer, though it is supposed to be given to them for free.

He said instead of helping to alleviate the hardship of cocoa farmers, the Akufo-Addo government is making them poorer through its policies and programmes.

Mr Mahama noted that under the administration of the National Democratic Congress (NDC), cocoa farmers were given free supply of fertilizers, aside the yearly increase in producer price of cocoa.

He however wondered why the current government would abandon the free supply of fertilizers to cocoa farmers and rather sell it to them, even though the fertilizer sacks are marked “Not for Sale”.

Mr Mahama made this known when he addressed separate meetings with NDC delegates at Jinijini, Berekum and Sampa, all in the Brong Ahafo Region on Saturday.

Citing the Gambia-Kyeremansu road in particular, Mr Mahama noted that the government has abandoned all the cocoa road projects which were started by his government in the Brong Ahafo

Region, emphasising that his government made a deliberate policy to construct major roads in cocoa-growing areas.

Mr Mahama therefore appealed to the government to start working on the abandoned cocoa roads to ease the haulage of cocoa as well as promote the speedy and efficient transportation of goods and services.

He told the delegates that Ghanaians are looking up to the NDC to take them out of the present economic hardship, and he is therefore calling for unity in the party to help the NDC win the 2020 elections.

Mr Mahama also promised to work hard to reduce the high cost of living as well as provide jobs, when elected.