Salam Mustapha has expressed his shock over the National Democratic Congress’ promise to increase cocoa price to GHC2,800.
The National Democratic Congress has played down President Akufo-Addo’s promise to increase cocoa producer price per bag to GHC1,308 for the new cocoa season.
This represents a 63.6% upward adjustment of the farm gate price of cocoa beans.
But according to the NDC, they would have increased the price to GHC2,800 instead of the amount quoted by the President.
“As we speak now, cocoa prices have seen the biggest increment since 1977, so it is your season to make a profit. If NDC were to be in government, we would have a bag of cocoa at GH¢2,500 and add a premium of GH¢300. So you would have received GH¢2,800 per bag,” Minority Leader, Dr. Cassiel Ato Forson said at a conference with cocoa farmers at Dadiesoaba in the Ahafo Region.
“The Akufo-Addo/Bawumia/NPP government has once again shortchanged Ghanaian cocoa farmers. The announced increment in the farmgate price of cocoa to GH₵1,308 is a total rip-off as cocoa farmers will continue to remain worse off than they were seven (7) years ago under the NDC/Mahama government. The Spot Price of cocoa on the international market has surged to a record high of about $3,600 per metric ton as of 31st August 2023. This price is the highest since 1977- that is, in the last 46 years,” former President John Mahama also made these remarks at Tepa in the Ashanti Region during the opening of the 2023/2024 cocoa season.
Speaking on Peace FM’s “Kokrokoo” show Thursday morning, Salam Mustapha marveled at the NDC criticisms.
“Some of the things that the NDC does in this country, I think even the devil gets surprised…When you look at what they are capable of saying and doing, even the devil will not try it,” he replied.
He lauded the President for bringing relief to cocoa farmers in the country stating “may history remember him kindly together with the COCOBOD, the leadership and the cocoa farmers”.