We’ll increase producer price of cocoa for 2024/2025 season — Dr Bawumia

The Vice-President and presidential candidate of the New Patriotic Party (NPP), Dr Mahamudu Bawumia, has assured cocoa farmers that he will increase the producer price of cocoa for the 2024/25 cocoa season. 

This follows the current world market price of cocoa and the latest farm gate price for cocoa in Ivory Coast which exceeds Ghana's rate by 20 per cent.

He said such an adjustment would cushion cocoa farmers and also prevent the possibility of Ghana’s cocoa being smuggled into Ivory Coast.

Dr Bawumia gave the assurance at the Okogyeabour palace at Sefwi Wiawso on day two of his three-day tour of the Western North Region.

At all the nine constituencies visited, the NPP presidential candidate was met by enthusiastic supporters who cheered him on.

Appeal

The Vice-President appealed to the people not to vote for former president Mahama, whom he described as a second-hand President, but rather retain the New Patriotic Party (NPP) government in power to continue with its good policies and development projects across the country.

He said voting for a different candidate would mean that the current state of development and strategic policies in the country would be truncated.

Speaking at separate durbars at Aowin, Juaboso, Bodi, Akontombra, Sefwi Wiawso, Bia West, Bia East and Bibiani-Anhwiaso-Bekwai constituencies, Dr Bawumia further said that the government had performed creditably and, therefore, it deserved another term.

He mentioned the introduction of the Free SHS policy, One constituency, One ambulance, restoration of teacher and nursing trainees allowance, the creation of six new regions, the Ghana Card, Agenda 111 hospitals, Cocoa Pollination, construction of artificial pitches and the district road improvement programme (DRIP), as some of the promises made that had been delivered.

The presidential candidate said the next NPP government under his leadership would introduce a Credit Score System, Loans for Women Empowerment and Free Tertiary Education for Persons with Disability (PWDs).

Others are a 50 per cent reduction in light bills and additional 2,000 megawatts of solar energy to compliment the existing power system. 

No skirt and blouse

The parliamentary candidate for the Sefwi Wiawso Constituency, Festus Bumagamah Agyeapong, also entreated the people to not only vote him as their representative in the legislature, but also vote to elect Dr Bawumia as the next President to accelerate the country’s development.

At the various communities the Vice-President visited, the chiefs expressed appreciation to him for engaging in decent campaigns, and for the development projects by the government.

They, however, requested the completion of ongoing major projects and the creation of additional districts in the region.