Former spokesperson of the Ghana Cocoa Board (COCOBOD), Fiifi Boafo, has firmly rejected claims regarding the $350 million secured from the African Development Bank (AfDB) by the previous New Patriotic Party (NPP) to rehabilitate cocoa farms in the country.
According to him, the National Democratic Congress (NDC) circulated figures that do not reflect the actual implementation details of the project.
He expressed that “there are too many lies” regarding that matter where the NDC had claimed it only rehabilitated only 40,000 hectares cocoa farms.
Mr. Boafo’s rebuttal is in response to recent claims by the current administration that the NPP left a significant debt in the cocoa sector, creating pressure within the industry.
Addressing claims that the NPP only rehabilitated 40,000 hectares of cocoa farms, he described it as palpable lies, disclosing that it rehabilitated more than that figure.
He clarified that tens of thousands of hectares of cocoa farms had been fully rehabilitated, while several others were still undergoing rehabilitation before it left power.
“Cocoa farms, which were completely rehabilitated, were 70,000 hectares; however, 40,000 hectares were cocoa farms that were undergoing the process for complete rehabilitation.
“The NDC should have specifically stated that 70,000 hectares were completed, and it’s left with 40,000 hectares to be completed; if not, then they are spreading false information,” said Mr. Boafo in a one-on-one interview on Angel TV.
He added that although the majority of cocoa farms were damaged under several circumstances, such as intense sun and disease, among others, cocoa farmers were supported by the NPP government in resolving the issues.
Source: Ernest Kelvin Okanta
Former spokesperson of the Ghana Cocoa Board (COCOBOD), Fiifi Boafo, has firmly rejected claims regarding the $350 million secured from the African Development Bank (AfDB) to rehabilitate cocoa farms in the country.
According to him, the National Democratic Congress (NDC) circulated figures that do not reflect the actual implementation details of the project, insisting that “there are too many lies regarding that matter.”
Mr. Boafo’s rebuttal is in response to the recent claims from the current administration that the New Patriotic Party (NPP) government had left a significant debt in the cocoa sector, creating pressure within the industry.
Tackling the issues of the NPP only rehabilitating 40,000 hectares of cocoa farms, he described it palpable lies, disclosing that it rehabilitated more than the above figures.
He clarified that tens of thousands of hectares of cocoa farms had been fully rehabilitated, while several were still undergoing rehabilitation before it left power.
“Cocoa farms, which were completely rehabilitated, were 70,000 hectares; however, 40,000 hectares were cocoa farms that were undergoing the process for complete rehabilitation.
“The NDC should have specifically stated that 70,000 hectares were completed, and it’s left with 40,000 hectares to be completed; if not, then they are spreading false information,” said Mr. Boafo on in a one-on-one interview on Angel TV.
He added that thou majority of cocoa farms were damaged under several circumstances such as intense sun, disease among others, cocoa farmers were supported by the NPP government in resolving the issues
Source:Ernest Kelvin Okanta
