Minority Chief Whip in Parliament, Frank Annoh-Dompreh, has questioned whether President John Dramani Mahama would have reduced cocoa prices if this year were an election year, suggesting the move is politically motivated.
Speaking on Tuesday, April 7, during the Minority caucus’s tour of the Bono Region, Mr. Annoh-Dompreh noted the recent reduction in cocoa prices and raised concerns about its timing.
“Would Mahama have reduced cocoa prices if this year was an election year? He thinks he can punish cocoa farmers during this period and when the election year comes, he gives them some small money to lure them to vote for his party,” he said.
The Minority Chief Whip further alleged that the President intends to increase cocoa prices during an election year to curry favor with farmers, portraying the pricing adjustments as a potential political strategy.
“This is about fairness and respect for the backbone of our economy. Cocoa farmers should not be subjected to arbitrary pricing that is driven by political calculations,” Mr. Annoh-Dompreh added.
The caucus’s tour of the Bono Region was aimed at engaging directly with farmers affected by the recent price changes and assessing the impact on their livelihoods.
Mr. Annoh-Dompreh called on the government to adopt transparent and consistent cocoa pricing policies to protect farmers from what he described as politically motivated economic measures.