The Ghana Cocoa Board (COCOBOD) has announced that the cancellation of free fertilizers to cocoa farmers by the previous government has given a major boost to the cocoa industry.
Explaining why this is so, the Public Affairs Manager of COCOBOD, Fiifi Boafo told Samuel Eshun on the Happy Morning Show that this decision has controlled smuggling of these fertilizers and has allowed direct beneficiaries of these fertilizers easy access to the products.
Some of the fertilizers went to Togo and Cote D’Ivoire. If indeed, these are for Ghanaian farmers, how did it get to these other countries? There is evidence at the police that a former government official’s family member who loaded this fertilizer to sell outside Ghana was arrested by the police. So it gives you some evidence that it is not just a mere accusation that the fertilizers were not given to the direct beneficiaries. But that has changed today”.
He noted that at the time these fertilizers were free, even some farmers had to travel far just to receive these free fertilizers but with the introduction of subsidies in the prices of these fertilizers, farmers get deliveries of their fertilizers in their communities. “Even though you will pay part of the money as a beneficiary, it has been overhauled entirely and the farmer can access it as we drive the fertilizers to the farmer’s town”, he added.
Last year, the Ghana Cocoa Board suspended the free distribution of fertilizer to farmers while subsidizing the prices of fertilizers as a measure to curb smuggling.
However, the flagbearer for the National Democratic Congress, John Dramani Mahama has said that his administration will re-introduce the free fertilizer programme for cocoa farmers if elected. According to him, cocoa farmers have been burdened under the current administration as they self-finance their fertilizer purchases.
By: Alberta Dorcas N D Armah