In a concerning development, Michael Aidoo, the Western North Regional Chairman of the National Democratic Congress (NDC), has voiced alarm over the increasing trend of cocoa farmers selling their land to illegal miners, colloquially known as ‘galamseyers’. The situation has escalated due to what Aidoo describes as a lack of government support and the declining state of the cocoa industry.
During a recent interview on Onua FM’s Yen Nsempa showAidoo pointed out that the cocoa production in Ghana, which once peaked at about 900,000 tonnes annually under former President John Dramani Mahama, has now dropped to roughly 500,000 tonnes. He attributes this significant decrease to the current administration’s failure to sustain the necessary assistance to cocoa farmers, such as free fertilizers and farm spraying services, which were commonplace during Mahama’s presidency.
The neglect has not only affected the COCOBOD but has also wreaked havoc on the livelihoods of elderly farmers in rural areas, forcing them to sell their farms to galamseyers as cocoa farming becomes unprofitable. Aidoo criticized the government for its inaction, particularly noting the four-year stagnation of cocoa prices, which has only recently seen an increment in 2024. However, the delay has already led to considerable losses for many farmers, pushing them to the brink of despair and longing for the days of Mahama’sleadership.
