We will react appropriately; Bawumia responds to Côte d’Ivoire raising cocoa producer price above Ghana

Ghana will react appropriately to the increase in the producer price of cocoa in Côte d’Ivoire, Vice President and presidential candidate of the NPP, Dr Mahamudu Bawumia has disclosed.

Addressing a rally at Sefwi Akontombra, a major cocoa growing area in the Western North Region on Monday, September 30, he said, “We are looking at what Côte d’Ivoire will do with regards to producer price. If they do something, we wlll also do something.”

Dr Bawumia’s declaration came as Côte d’Ivoire, the world’s top producer of cocoa, increased the farmgate price by 20% to 1,800 CFA francs ($3.06) per kilogramme for the harvest starting October 1.

The rate translates to $3,060 per tonne, a notch higher than what Ghana started paying farmers at the beginning this month at $3,039 per tonne.

Initiatives
Dr Bawumia enumerated the initiatives undertaken by the government in boosting the cocoa sector, and improving the wellbeing of farmers. These include the cocoa rehabilitation programme and the continuous increase in producer price .

The first day of Dr Bawumia’s tour of of the region took him to Bia East, Bia West and Aowin Constituencies , where he sold his Bold Solutions for Business and Jobs to constituents.

New policies
In his engagement with stakeholders, the NPP presidential candidate said the government has kept faith with Ghanaians by implementing policies that have brought relief to the people.

He mentioned that in the next NPP government under him, there will be massive investment in the education sector.

Dr Bawumia promised that under his presidency, there will be a greater infusion of technology into the agriculture value chain and the setting up of District Agric Mechanization Centres across the country.