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THE BETRAYAL OF GHANA’S COCOA FARMERS: A MONUMENTAL BREACH OF TRUST

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Ghana’s cocoa farmers have long served as the cornerstone of the national economy. From the verdant cocoa-growing enclaves of the Western North, Ashanti, Bono, Eastern, and Central Regions, these industrious men and women have laboured under the relentless sun and torrential rains to sustain the very lifeblood of Ghana’s foreign exchange earnings.

Cocoa has historically played a pivotal role in Ghana’s GDP and continues to be one of the nation’s foremost export commodities, generating billions of dollars in annual revenue. Yet today, these same farmers find themselves mired in economic despair, political disillusionment, and institutional neglect.

Ghana is the world’s second-largest cocoa producer, trailing only Côte d’Ivoire, yielding between 600,000 to 900,000 metric tonnes annually, contingent upon the season. The sector directly supports over 800,000 farming families and indirectly sustains more than 2 million Ghanaians. Cocoa revenues constitute a significant portion of Ghana’s export earnings and profoundly contribute to rural livelihoods. The cocoa pricing system in Ghana is meticulously regulated by the Ghana Cocoa Board (COCOBOD), which announces producer prices each season.

Under the administration of the New Patriotic Party (NPP), under the esteemed leadership of H.E. Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo, the prices for cocoa producers have experienced a remarkable escalation over the years. From a modest GH¢300 per bag in the nascent years of the Fourth Republic, the price surged dramatically to GH¢3,100 per 64kg bag by the onset of the 2023/2024 cocoa season.

This increase, albeit fraught with challenges, was widely acknowledged as a concerted effort to shield cocoa farmers from the vicissitudes of global market fluctuations and domestic inflationary pressures.

During the 2024 electoral campaign, the National Democratic Congress (NDC), under the aegis of H.E. John Dramani Mahama, made emphatic and unequivocal pledges to cocoa farmers throughout Ghana. The promise was both audacious and politically alluring to elevate the cocoa producer price from GH¢3,100 to GH¢6,000 per bag upon assuming office.

AFRICAN UNIVERSITY OF COMMUNICATION AND BUSINESS (AUCB) – TESCON

E-mail: aucbtescon@gmail.com

H.E. Kwasi Ohene-Bugyei (President) – 0558200320

H.E. Stephen Boateng Osei-Bonsu (Vice President) – 0241421593

Lisa Abiana Codjoe (Secretary) – 0553706609

Justice Kwasi Forson (Communication Director) – 0241819541

Muniratu Mohammed (Nasara Coordinator) – 0552680408

Tedra Bampoe (Women’s Commissioner) – 0554750725

Ebenezer Orkoh Ayesu (Organizer) – 0559761014

Daniel Akowuah (Treasurer) – 0596055084

AFRICAN UNIVERSITY OF COMMUNICATION AND BUSINESS (AUCB) – TESCON

E-mail: aucbtescon@gmail.com

This proclamation was reiterated at rallies, community engagements, and campaign platforms across cocoa-producing regions.

The commitment was not merely rhetorical; it was articulated as an immediate economic intervention poised to transform the livelihoods of farmers, enabling them to cover educational expenses, address medical bills, expand their agricultural endeavors, and lead lives imbued with dignity..

The repercussions of this failure are dire: Escalating rural poverty, Increasing school dropout rates within cocoa-producing communities, Intensified rural-urban migration, Deterioration in the upkeep of cocoa farms, jeopardizing future yields, and Growing disenchantment with democratic accountability. Cocoa farmers perceive a profound sense of disrespect, not only in economic terms but also politically, as their electoral support was secured through a promise that now appears to be illusory.

The Government must urgently reassess the cocoa producer price, necessitating a commitment to transparency. If the GH¢6,000 pledge cannot be realized immediately, a phased increment strategy with explicit timelines should be articulated. Cocoa farmers are entitled to dignity and integrity.

Cocoa farmers are entitled to economic justice and Ghana’s prosperity has historically been predicated upon cocoa. To disregard the very hands that nurture it, is to undermine the very foundation of the Republic itself. The era of rhetorical assurances has elapsed. The moment for decisive action is upon us. Cocoa farmers in Ghana deserve far better than the current government’s treatment, which belittles their significant contributions to Ghana’s economy.

Long live Ghana!

Long live Ghana Cocoa Farmers!

Long live AUCB-TESCON!

May the Lord make us great and strong!

Issued By:

AUCB TESCON

Signed:

H.E. Kwasi Ohene-Bugyei

AUCB TESCON President

COMMITMENT WITHOUT INDUCEMENT

 

Politics

NPP Has Become a Party of Hooligans – Charles McCarthy Tears Into Internal Election Chaos, Fires at Wontumi

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Editor of The Hawk Newspaper, Charles McCarthy, has launched a blistering attack on the New Patriotic Party (NPP), accusing the party of descending into indiscipline, intimidation and disregard for its own constitution.

Making his assertion on Kessben Maakye show in Accra, McCarthy insisted, the NPP has drifted far from the values it once stood for, claiming the party is now “full of hooligans” who threaten critics instead of addressing legitimate concerns.

He questioned why reports of gunshots and assaults during the party’s internal elections had been linked to the electoral process, insisting such incidents expose deep-rooted problems within the party.

McCarthy further alleged that there have been several instances where party executives declared election results instead of designated Electoral Commission officials, describing the practice as a violation of due process.

Citing the recent Asante Akyem North election, he claimed voting proceeded despite a court order, resulting in confusion and legal disputes. He argued that the growing trend of ignoring rules has fuelled widespread indiscipline within the NPP.
“The disrespect in the party is now glaring for everyone to see,” he stated, adding that repeated irregularities in internal elections have damaged the party’s credibility.

McCarthy also criticised NPP Ashanti Regional Chairman Bernard Antwi Boasiako, popularly known as Chairman Wontumi, questioning whether he would tolerate regional executives overturning his own directives if he became the party’s national chairman.

He further alleged that Wontumi’s actions undermine the party’s hierarchy and constitution, claiming personal relationships should not influence decisions in internal party matters. He added that Wontumi is now pitching the electorates against the NPP party, a step that he thinks would be very detrimental to himself and the New Patriotic Party.

According to McCarthy, the NPP’s failure to enforce discipline was one of the major reasons for its poor performance in the last general election.

He concluded by warning that unless the party restores order and respects its own rules, internal divisions could continue to weaken its political fortunes

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Politics

It Will Be a Disgrace for NPP to Elect Wontumi as National Chairman – Andy Kankam Fires

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The Editor of The Informer newspaper, Andy Kankam, has launched a scathing attack on Ashanti Regional NPP Chairman Bernard Antwi Boasiako, popularly known as Chairman Wontumi, insisting it would be a “disgrace” if the New Patriotic Party (NPP) elects him as its next National Chairman.

In a discussion on the Kessben Maakye show in Accra, Kankam revealed that Wontumi lacks a proper understanding of the party’s constitution and leadership principles, making him unsuitable for the party’s highest executive office.
“It will be a disgrace for the NPP to choose Wontumi as their National Chairman because he has no understanding of the party’s constitution and does not respect…
[2:00 PM, 7/17/2026] Maurice: Headline:
“Calm Down and Wait” — Gordon Asare-Bediako Dismisses Running Mate Speculation Around Bawumia
Story:
Political commentator Gordon Asare-Bediako has urged party faithful and political observers to stop speculating about who the New Patriotic Party’s (NPP) 2028 flagbearer, Dr. Mahamudu Bawumia, will choose as his running mate, insisting that the decision has long been settled in the flagbearer’s mind.
According to Asare-Bediako, while many people have been engaging in public commentary and circulating names of possible running mates, Dr. Bawumia already knows the person he intends to select.
He noted that several lists circulating on social media and other platforms claiming to reveal the chosen running mate were false, adding that similar speculation also surrounded the selection of Dr. Matthew Opoku Prempeh (NAPO) ahead of the 2024 elections.
Asare-Bediako further dismissed claims by some individuals who allegedly say they have already been chosen by Dr. Bawumia as his running mate, describing such assertions as untrue.
“I know there are people who have interest, but they should all calm down and wait for the appointed time without putting unnecessary pressure on the party,” he said.
He advised anyone interested in becoming the running mate to approach the party’s flagbearer directly rather than fueling speculation in the public domain.

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Politics

Calm Down and Wait – Gordon Asare-Bediako Dismisses Running Mate Speculation Around Bawumia

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The New Patriotic Party ( NPP ) national communication director aspirant, Gordon Asare-Bediako has urged party faithful and political observers to stop speculating about who the New Patriotic Party’s (NPP) 2028 flagbearer, Dr. Mahamudu Bawumia, will choose as his running mate, insisting that the decision has long been settled in the flagbearer’s mind.

Making his assertion on Kessben Maakye show in Accra, Asare-Bediako claimed, while many people have been engaging in public commentary and circulating names of possible running mates, Dr. Bawumia already knows the person he intends to select.
He noted that several lists circulating on social media and other platforms claiming to reveal the chosen running mate were false, adding that similar speculation also surrounded the selection of Dr. Matthew Opoku Prempeh (NAPO) ahead of the 2024 elections.

Asare-Bediako further dismissed claims by some individuals who allegedly say they have already been chosen by Dr. Bawumia as his running mate, describing such assertions as untrue.
“I know there are people who have interest, but they should all calm down and wait for the appointed time without putting unnecessary pressure on the party,” he said.

He advised anyone interested in becoming the running mate to approach the party’s flagbearer directly rather than fueling speculation in the public domain.

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