Offinso Chief Tells Minority: Go And Speak For The Farmers

The Offinsomanhene, Nana Dwamena Akenten II, has given his full support to the Minority Caucus in Parliament, urging them to boldly raise the concerns of cocoa farmers during their week-long tour of the Ashanti Region’s cocoa-producing communities.

The charge came on Sunday when Minority MPs, led by Minority Chief Whip and Nsawam-Adoagyiri MP, Frank Annoh-Dompreh, paid a courtesy visit to the Offinsomanhene and Offinso Queenmother, Nana Adwoa Afranewaa III, during the traditional Akwasidae celebration in Offinso.

Originally planning to meet the Asantehene, Otumfuo Osei Tutu II, the delegation was informed that the revered monarch was out of the country.

In his absence, the Offinsomanhene, a senior traditional authority, received the MPs and offered his blessings for their mission.

Addressing the delegation, Nana Dwamena Akenten II stressed that cocoa farmers’ welfare is a national issue that transcends partisan politics.

“Go and speak for the farmers – we are behind you,” he said, describing farmers as the backbone of Ghana’s cocoa economy, who deserve support and recognition.

The chief also called on Parliament to enact laws to protect traditional authorities from public insults and unfounded allegations, emphasising that respect for chiefs is crucial to maintaining Ghana’s cultural heritage and social harmony.

Frank Annoh-Dompreh, speaking on behalf of the delegation, said the visit was aimed at securing the blessing of traditional authorities before embarking on the tour.

“The purpose of this engagement is to give cocoa farmers a platform to share their concerns directly with Members of Parliament,” he said, highlighting grievances over recent cocoa price cuts, rising production costs, and delayed payments.

“We are here to listen to the voice of the cocoa farmer. Whatever concerns they raise during this tour will be taken to Parliament so that solutions can be found to improve their livelihoods,” Annoh-Dompreh added.

After completing the Ashanti tour, the delegation intends to brief the Asantehene on the outcomes of their engagements.

This week-long initiative follows a similar tour in the Eastern Region, where farmers voiced frustration over cocoa price reductions—from over GH¢3,500 per bag to about GH¢2,500 -delays in payments and escalating input costs.

The Minority delegation, including representatives from parliamentary committees on economic affairs, agriculture, development, food and cocoa, said the nationwide tour is intended to gather evidence-based feedback to support policy review in the cocoa sector.

The Ashanti Region tour will continue throughout the week, with MPs visiting multiple cocoa-producing communities to document farmers’ concerns before raising them in Parliament and reporting back to the traditional authorities.

 

 

For more news, join The Chronicle Newspaper channel on WhatsApp: https://whatsapp.com/channel/0029VbBSs55E50UqNPvSOm2z

The post Offinso Chief Tells Minority: Go And Speak For The Farmers appeared first on The Ghanaian Chronicle.

Read Full Story