We have not short changed cocoa farmers-AGL

Kumasi, Oct. 29, GNA - Armajaro Ghana Limited (AGL), a Licensed Buying Company (LBC), has denied refusing to pay bonuses to some cocoa farmers and said short changing the farmer was totally unacceptable.

"We have been open, honest and transparent in our dealings with our valued farmers."

A statement signed by the Operations Director, Mr Nelson Kpodo-Tay, described the allegation by its former buying agent at Agona Nyakrom, Mr Malik Asare, that AGL was withholding bonuses due some farmers in the Central Region as completely false. "It is a disingenuous ploy to hurt the good corporate image we ha= ve earned in the eight years of our operation." The statement claimed that the former buying agent, who now works=

with a rival LBC, owes the company 46 bags of cocoa and has pledged to ma= ke up for this with proceeds from his two acre cocoa farm. "AGL attempts at getting Mr Asare to assist us to track the farme= rs, who Mr Asare alleges have not been paid their bonuses totalling GH¢1,40= 0 so that we take care of them have been unsuccessful, as he has not been forthcoming with the names and other relevant details." The statement re-affirmed the company's unwavering resolve to uphold best practices to enable Ghanaian cocoa farmers receive what they legitimately deserve. It invited its other competitors in the internal cocoa buying trade to accept to play it fair and clean. The Ghana News Agency on Sunday, October 25, carried a story that Armajaro has failed to pay some cocoa farmers at Agona Nyakrom their bonuses.