The president of the Concerned Farmers Association of Ghana, Nana Aboadie Boateng Bonsu, has issued a stern warning to cocoa farmers regarding the sale of their farmland.
In a recent interview on GHOne TV, Mr. Bonsu stated that any farmer who attempts to sell or cut down their cocoa farmland will face arrest.
“If you are a farmer and you sell your land to a buyer or a miner, you will be arrested, and then the miner will also be arrested. We want to make it clear for them,” he stated.
Mr. Bonsu urged farmers not to consider selling their land due to delays in payments from suppliers. He emphasised that cocoa farmland is not merely a personal asset but also government property.
“Therefore, anyone wishing to sell or remove cocoa trees must provide strong justification for their actions,” he explained. “So those that have the intention that it is their own land and they can do whatever they want to do, you can’t do that again,” he added.
He stressed that any farmer wishing to cut down their cocoa trees must present reasonable explanations, and researchers should be involved in the decision-making process.
Furthermore, he reassured cocoa farmers to exercise patience, noting that their payments will soon be disbursed. He highlighted the positive developments on the horizon for the cocoa sector.
“Good things are coming in two years’ time; your cocoa is your gold,” he stated.
The president also noted that new legislation is set to be introduced in Parliament to strengthen regulations surrounding the sale or cutting of cocoa farmland.
Source: Vanessa Elizabeth Nkum
