Awal Mohammed has questioned the credibility of recent payment assurances by Ghana Cocoa Board, arguing that the agency’s latest announcement contradicts its earlier claims that cocoa farmer arrears had already been settled.
In a Facebook post, the NPP communicator recalled that in March, COCOBOD’s Head of Public Relations, Jerome K. Sam, announced that Ghc3.1 billion had been released to Licensed Buying Companies to clear outstanding payments owed to farmers.
“However, as of last month, our independent checks indicate that the farmers still have not received their money,” he wrote.
Referring to COCOBOD’s latest announcement of a Ghc2.6 billion release to settle last year’s arrears, Mohammed said, “This latest announcement effectively confirms that all previous claims of clearing these debts between January and now were false.”
He also questioned whether the newly released funds would reach farmers and raised concerns about the approaching cocoa season.
“At this point, we cannot even be certain that this new GH¢2.6 billion will actually reach the farmers. We are barely a month away from the start of the new cocoa season, yet the previous year’s supplies remain unpaid.
“How can COCOBOD successfully fund and buy the upcoming main cocoa season under these conditions?” he asked.
Mohammed further argued that many farmers had already relied on expensive loans to survive during the delay in payments.
“Even if this money is finally paid, no cocoa farmer will be left with anything. They have already exhausted everything trying to survive on high-interest loans during this long wait,” he said.
He added, “We are playing politics with the livelihood of over four million people.”
