The Minority Caucus in Parliament has pledged its dedication to ensuring that cocoa farmers in the country derive optimum benefits from their hard work and to enhance their livelihoods.
Mr Frank Annoh-Dompreh, the Member of Parliament (MP) for Nsawam-Adoagyiri and the Minority Chief Whip, emphasised that the caucus would continue to amplify the voice of the cocoa farmers in parliament and hold the government accountable.
The MP gave the pledge when the Caucus paid courtesies on Osahene Kwaku Atekyi II, the Paramount Chief of the Kukuom Traditional Area, and Nana Osei Kofi Abre II, the Paramount Chief of the Kenyasi Number One Traditional Area in the Ahafo Region.
Mr Annoh-Dompreh explained that their visits to the region were to enable the MPs to engage the cocoa farmers, identify and help tackle challenges affecting their socio-economic livelihoods and impeding the growth of the sector.
He explained that as the embodiment of the people, it was imperative to engage the chiefs and queens of the area too, saying that cocoa remained the cornerstone of the economy, and farmers ought to be treated fairly.
“Our visits are driven by growing concerns of cocoa farmers, nationwide in connection with the recent reduction in cocoa producer price and delays in payments of cocoa farmers,” Mr Annoh-Dompreh explained.
At Kukuom, Osahene Atekyi also expressed concern that the delayed payment had affected the socio-economic livelihoods of many cocoa farmers and their families in the region and called on the government to expedite action and pay the farmers.
He said the interest of cocoa farmers remained paramount if the nation could produce more cocoa and quality beans.
