A leading communicator of the ruling National Democratic Congress (NDC) in Tema Central, Anthony Anum, has reaffirmed government’s commitment to increasing cocoa prices, citing improved economic conditions and the appreciation of the cedi.
Speaking on Plan B FM’s Nkosuo Nsem morning show, Anum recalled that during President John Dramani Mahama’s 2024 campaign, he promised a 70% increment in cocoa prices. He acknowledged that the economic environment at the time, particularly the depreciation of the cedi, made the immediate fulfillment of that promise challenging.
“At the time of the promise, the cedi was severely depreciated, making it difficult to implement the increment. But today, the currency is appreciating, and that gives us the fiscal space to gradually fulfill that commitment,” he explained.
Anum also revealed that the NDC administration inherited significant debts in the cocoa sector from the previous government, including liabilities carried over from the Nana Akufo-Addo administration. According to him, those debts have now been addressed, creating room for reforms and better support for cocoa farmers.
“With the debts cleared and the cedi gaining strength, it’s only a matter of time before farmers start seeing the real benefits through higher cocoa prices. The Mahama government is committed to ensuring that cocoa farmers enjoy the fruits of their labour,” he assured.
Kadan Daniel (Blutut Africa/Planbfmonline.com)
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