The New Patriotic Party (NPP) Secretary for Nhyieaso Constituency, Michael Essel-Mills, has mounted a fierce defence of cocoa farmers, urging the government to immediately reverse its decision to reduce the producer price from GHC 3,625 to GHC 2,587.
According to him, the government must maintain the GHC 3,100 they inherited, price introduced under former President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo if they can’tpay their own price, insisting that cocoa farmers must not be made to suffer for what he describes as administrative failings.
“Pay the farmers Nana Addo’s GHC 3,100. You cannot take what you did not give,” Mr. Essel-Mills declared.
Michael Essel-Mills, Constituency Secretary for Nhyiaeso NPP.
Speaking on Hello FM’s Akoko Abon programme on Saturday February 14th, Essel-Mills rejected claims that COCOBOD’s current challenges stem from mismanagement by the previous NPP administration.
Instead, the Financial Accountant blamed what he termed poor strategy and lack of expertise in handling global commodity markets.
“We are here because of inexperience, incompetence and pure power play fuelled by bloated ego. The current management lacks strategic insight into global commodity trading,” he said.
Mr. Essel-Mills admitted that international cocoa prices have declined in recent months but argued that market volatility was predictable.
“It is true cocoa prices on the international market have plummeted, but the warning signs were clear.
The new managers ignored the volatility to take advantageof the then favorable price when 8t was high,” he stressed.
He maintained that established best practices within the commodity trading ecosystem were abandoned, leading to the current pricing crisis.
The NPP constituency secretary cautioned that failure to stabilise the cocoa sector could have far-reaching consequences.
He warned that prolonged instability could affect financing banks and potentially cascade into the broader economy.
“The cocoa sector is too sensitive to information. It should not be managed with propaganda and egocentrism,” he concluded.
Background:
Cocoa remains one of Ghana’s leading foreign exchange earners, and pricing decisions directly affect hundreds of thousands of farming households across the country.
Story By Michael Ofosu-Afriyie, Kumasi
