President John Mahama has proposed new legislation to protect cocoa farmers in Ghana from the devastating effects of illegal mining, also known as Galamsey.
President John Dramani Mahama made the proposal when the Chief Executive Officer of Cocobod Randy Abbey and his management team as well as the National Chief Farmer Alhaji Alhassan Bukari paid a courtesy call on the President
This move aims to preserve cocoa production, which is vital for Ghana’s economy.
Mahama emphasized that cultivating cocoa is more economically prudent than mining, as cocoa trees can generate income for 30 years or more, whereas mining leaves the land barren once the gold is extracted.
President Mahama stressed the need to prevent people from cutting down cocoa trees for mining purposes.
The proposed legislation would criminalize the destruction of cash crops like cocoa for mining purposes. Mahama also declared 2025 as the “Year of Correction” to bring the cocoa sector back on track.
Additionally, Mahama has criticized the previous administration’s management of the cocoa industry, citing excessive spending and a decline in cocoa production.
He advocated for reforms to ensure fair pricing for farmers, proposing a minimum of 70% of the producer price to incentivize farmers.
This is not Mahama’s first effort to reform the cocoa sector.
Previously, he pledged to revamp the sector and restructure the state-run regulator, COCOBOD, to stimulate growth and improve efficiency
