The Ghana National Cocoa Farmers Association has threatened to embark on a demonstration on October 1, 2021 over continuous neglect by the government on the Pilot Registration of Cocoa Farmers’ Pension Scheme.
The government is set to roll out the pilot registration for about 1.5 million cocoa farmers unto the national pension scheme which is set to start next week Monday, August 23, the Ghana Cocoa Board (COCOBOD) has disclosed. This is ahead of the roll-out of the full scheme for the 2021/2022 cocoa season.
Speaking on Plan B FM ‘Ebaanosen’ with Bohyeba Afriyie, the public relations officer of the Ghana National Cocoa Farmers Association, Papa Kwame Oppong stressed that, COCOBOD and the government have sidelined it members representing them on the pension scheme board including their President Anane Boateng.
Mr. Oppong indicated that the association is very much concerned about how the government and COCOBOD are treating farmers in this country.”
He has served notice to the government that they will stage a demonstration on Friday, October 1, 2021
“Eight months ago, the president came and promised us in Kumasi a pension scheme if he is re-elected. He kept his promise and inaugurated a 7-member board committee including our president Anane Boateng. After the inauguration, everything has gone silent on our part. The board has refused to furnish our president who is also a member with information and he has been sidelined when they go for meetings. All efforts to get the needed explanation has proven futile,” he said.
Mr. Oppong also added that, they were surprised when they heard that COCOBOD is leading the charge with the implementation of the pension scheme without their knowledge.
“We were really surprised when we heard COCOBOD has taken over the pension scheme initiative from the board the president constituted. We want to serve notice to the government that, on October 1, 2021, if they we don’t hear anything from them, we will embark on a nationwide strike to press home our demands. The pension scheme is for farmers, not COCOBOD. So we expect them to involve us in any decision making at every stage of the process,” he remarked.
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