Cocoa farmers in the Upper West Akyem District in the Eastern Region and its environs face a high risk of losing their livelihood following the sale of their cocoa farms by their chiefs to an investment company.
The company is expected to replace the cocoa trees with pineapple and rubber plantations.
The farmers to be affected the most are in Abamkrom and Nyanoa Kwaba.
According to them, the directive will render them jobless and affect the future of their children.
The farmers argue the destruction of their cocoa farms amounts to “stabbing them with a dagger in the dark” and will also make them die prematurely.
They called on the District Chief Executive, the Minister of Food and Agriculture and the President to arrest the situation.
Meanwhile, the District Chief Executive for the area, Ohene Asifo Bekoe says the situation is beyond him as the landowners have already sold the land to the investors.
“The case of worry in this investment drive being undertaken by the landowners some of whom are chiefs is, they have sold out these big lands which mostly are cocoa farms and what happens is that, they have to cut down all the cocoa trees for the rubber and pineapple plantation to take place.”
Mr. Asifo Bekoe called for a policy that will stop the situation and called on COCOBOD to intervene as well.
“We need to sit down and talk to the landowners, since they own the land they have the right and the choice to decide what they use the land for. What about the poor peasant farmer? Do we have to cut down all the trees today in place of investment, while the farmer takes home ‘peanut’ in terms of compensation for the cocoa tree?” he asked.
By: Afiba Anyanzua Anyanzu/citifmonline.com/Ghana