Minority Members of Parliament, led by the Minority Chief Whip and Nsawam-Adoagyiri MP, Frank Annoh-Dompreh, have begun a week-long tour of cocoa-growing communities in the Ashanti Region to assess the impact of recent reductions in cocoa producer prices.
The MPs commenced their tour with a courtesy visit to the Offinsomanhene, Nana Dwamena Akenten II, and the Queenmother, Nana Adwoa Afranewaa III, during the Akwasidae celebration in Offinso.
The delegation sought the blessings of traditional leaders ahead of engagements with farmers across the region.
“Our mission is simple: to listen to the concerns of our hardworking cocoa farmers and better understand the challenges they are facing, particularly the impact of the recent cocoa sector ‘haircuts’ introduced by the Mahama administration,” Annoh-Dompreh said in an earlier statement on Facebook.
The MPs said the tour would allow them to gather firsthand information from farmers and represent their concerns in Parliament.
They also plan to formally brief the Asantehene, Otumfuo Osei Tutu II, on issues raised during the engagements.
Receiving the delegation, Nana Dwamena Akenten II welcomed the MPs and encouraged them to address farmers’ concerns with fairness and a national outlook, cautioning against excessive partisan politics.
This Ashanti Region tour follows a similar exercise in the Eastern Region, where the Minority engaged cocoa farmers to assess the effects of falling producer prices and other sectoral challenges.
Source: Asaase Radio
