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General News on Tuesday, November 27, 2018
Source: X Y Z
2018-11-27
President Nana Akufo-Addo
The minority in Parliament blamed the government of the ruling New Patriotic Party (NPP) for diverting about $ 650 million to the cocoa sector in Ghana.
As a member of the Parliamentary Committee on Food, Agriculture and Cocoa in Parliament, the Hon. Eric Opoku, who s & # 39; met with Kwame Minkah, host of & # 39; Ete Sen on Radio XYZ 93.1 Tuesday morning, announced the amount of the first tranche of & # 39; a total of $ 1.3 billion the dollar syndicated loan guaranteed cocoa for the 2018-1919 crop year was released and received by the Government on 6 October 2018 but companies that buy cocoa products are struggling to get the & # 39; money pay farmers.
"They [government] has diverted money and farmers are suffering. This has never happened before. Produce Buying Company (PBC) only buys cocoa beans on credit and, in recent weeks, farmers are starving. Yesterday, some farmers came to my office. Their story is sad but this government has nothing to do with it, "said former regional minister Brong Ahafo.
His comments corroborate a statement issued by the spokesperson of Minority on Finance, Caisel Ato Forson, that the amount "could be invested in guaranteed investments in two banks earn interest while the ordinary cocoa farmer is suffering."
Opoku wants COCOBOD's director general, John Boahen Aidoo, to be sanctioned by COCOBOD's general manager for his development.
Mr Opoku, MP d & # 39; Asunafo South, a region that produces cocoa, asked Afriyie Akoto, Minister & # 39; Agriculture, "immediately end the misuse of the syndicated loan" and return to profit initial acquisition.
The MP added that the minority would not relax its efforts to make the welfare of the cocoa farmer a priority.
PBC reactions
Meanwhile, the state-owned Produce Buying Company (PBC) Limited, Ghana's largest buyer of cocoa beans to farmers, is fighting COCOBOD for cash.
PBC issued a statement challenging Ghana Cocoa Board's allegations [COCOBOD] that he has made sufficient funds available for them to buy cocoa beans for the 2018/2019 campaign.
According to the PBC, the funds released by COCOBOD lack some 5,567 tonnes of cocoa beans, which were received by the Cocoa Marketing Corporation during week 6 of the crop year that began in October 2018.
COCOBOD also contests the 104 million Cedis of unpaid cocoa accounts due to approved buying companies.
However, the PBC badured all farmers and stakeholders that their money would be paid out as soon as possible.
In a statement signed by the Director General, Kofi Owusu Boateng, PBC is aware of the difficulties encountered in some cocoa purchasing areas regarding the evolution of the payment of cocoa beans to farmers.
Mr. Boateng said: "PBC is working closely with our bankers to obtain additional bank guarantees allowing us to have more funds from COCOBOD to pay off all the credited stocks of our loyal farmers."
At the same time, the Center for Socioeconomic Studies (CSS) recently revealed that COCOBOD had refused, neglected or did not allocate funds to licensed purchasing companies (LBCs) as planned for cocoa purchases. .
This, he said, has resulted in late payments to cocoa farmers, a situation that she says undermines the welfare of the farmer.
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