Kofi Tonto, a political aide and a deputy spokesperson to the former Vice President
Kofi Tonto, the political aide and spokesperson to former Vice President Dr Mahamudu Bawumia, has raised serious concerns about the economic impact on Cocoa farmers under the leadership of President John Mahama.
In a recent Facebook post, Tonto highlighted a significant drop in the income of a typical farmer, citing a sharp decrease in the price per bag of farm produce.
The farmer who used to earn GH¢310,000 under the Akufo-Addo administration is now receiving just GH¢258,700, an alarming loss of GH¢51,300.
In his Facebook post, Kofi Tonto compared the two administrations’ financial handling of agriculture, specifically how the pricing of agricultural products has impacted farmers’ bottom lines.
Under President Akufo-Addo, cocoa farmers who produced 100 bags of goods were paid GHC3100 per bag, totaling GH¢310,000 for 100 bags.
However, under the current Mahama-led government, the same farmer is receiving only GH¢2587 per bag, leading to a total of GH¢258,700 for 100 bags—resulting in a GH¢51,300 loss.
Tonto voiced his concerns about the loss of income for farmers and the long-term effects on the agricultural sector, which is a critical part of the economy.
“This is a clear example of how poor policies are impacting our hardworking farmers. A loss of over fifty thousand cedis per farmer is not just an economic issue but a crisis that undermines the livelihoods of thousands of Ghanaians,” he wrote on Facebook.
