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Form alliances to demand reforms in cocoa pricing at int’l level – Emillie Durochat
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The Deputy Director of Commerce Equitable France, Emillie Durochat has called on cocoa-producing countries to form alliances to demand a reform in the mechanism for setting prices at the international level.
For her, the continued rise in the cost of farm inputs such as fertilisers, pesticides and farm machinery as well as the cost of labour were affecting cocoa production, causing them to lose huge sums of money.
“If we want to end poverty, deforestation, child labour among others, there is the need for all to come together to double the price of cocoa on the international markets, make enough profits to cater for their families” she stated.
Madam Durochat made the clarion call at a Cocoa advocacy workshop in Accra on the theme “structuring the coordination of our platforms to bring with a common voice the essential equitable sharing of value within the cocoa value chain”.
It sought to stimulate talks around sustainable Cocoa and was jointly organised by the National Producer Platforms of Ghana, Togo, Benin, Cote d’Ivoire and France.
It brought together over 50 stakeholders in the Cocoa sector.
She bemoaned how Cocoa producers received only six per cent out of the $100,000 billion money made yearly.
Frank Okyere, Manager in charge of Environment and Production at Kuapa cocoa, said farmers were faced with a huge challenge which was causing them to be poor and therefore called for the government’s intervention.
“The rising cost of production is coming from all angles such as fertilisers, cutlasses and machinery used in spraying and pruning.
“The prices of equipment are going up and the farm gate price keeps fluctuating and this does not reflect in the high rising cost of production, causing farmers to lose huge sums of money,” he said.
The Technical Manager for the Côte d’Ivoire – Ghana Cocoa Initiative (CIGCI) Madam Tawiah Agyarko-Kwarteng stated that, although the Living Income Differential Pricing was established not long ago, farmers are still not benefiting from their produce.
“At the Côte d’Ivoire Ghana Cocoa Initiative, we have been focused on representing our two countries to engage in a collaborative discussion with the various actors in the sector. Volatile pricing has been a problem for the cocoa sector which is not allowing the farmers to get the true benefits that they should be getting. We have actively engaged over the past few months with partners in the industry to ensure that we kick start conversations on the actions that we all need to take to help our farmers get better pricing,” she said.
President of Fair Trade Platform Cote D’Ivoire, Fortin Bley on his part, said there was no way the government would be able to sustain the cocoa sector if they did not address the issue of pricing adding that it was worrying to note that cocoa communities and farmers who produced such important crop continued to remain poor.
He said there was a need for the government to develop policies and provide the infrastructure that would change the fortunes of cocoa-growing communities.
BY BENEDICTA GYIMAAH FOLLEY
General Secretary of the New Patriotic Party (NPP), Justin Kodua Frimpong, has filed his nomination to contest the position of General Secretary again as the party begins its rebuilding efforts ahead of the 2028 general elections.
He was accompanied by party stalwarts and supporters who were in high spirits, expressing confidence that he is the right person to hold the position.
Speaking after filing his nomination, Mr Kodua Frimpong assured the rank and file of the party that he would not disappoint them.
“I can assure you that the faith the rank and file of the party have had in me, I will never disappoint them,” he said.
He also pledged to run a clean campaign devoid of personal attacks.
“I can assure you that our internal campaign will be devoid of personal attacks,” he told his fellow contestants and the rank and file of the party as he seeks to retain his position.
His tenure has seen the party through the 2024 general elections, where the NPP lost power to the National Democratic Congress (NDC) after eight years in government.
The party is currently in a rebuilding phase, with internal elections scheduled to elect new national executives to lead its reorganization towards the 2028 polls.
The General Secretary position is considered one of the most influential in the party’s administrative structure, responsible for the day-to-day running of the party secretariat and implementation of party decisions.
By Edem Mensah-Tsotorme
The University of Ghana Medical Centre (UGMC) has disputed claims made on social media by comedian Michael Blackson concerning the treatment given to his late mother, saying a review found that the allegations did not accurately reflect what happened during her stay at the hospital.
In a statement issued in Accra on August 5, 2026, the management of UGMC expressed condolences to Mr. Blackson and his family over the death of his 83-year-old mother, who died at the facility on July 16, 2026.
The hospital said it had taken the concerns raised by Mr. Blackson seriously and conducted a thorough review in line with its clinical and administrative procedures.
According to the statement, the facts presented by Mr. Blackson on social media contained “numerous inaccuracies” and did not accurately reflect the medical care provided to his mother.
UGMC explained that she was referred to the facility from another hospital and received treatment there from May 27 to July 16, 2026, a period of about eight weeks.
The hospital stated that it would not release details of her diagnosis, treatment, medical records or other aspects of her care because it had a duty to protect patient confidentiality, even after death.
It said the decision was intended to respect the dignity of the deceased and the privacy of her family.
UGMC further stated that all clinical decisions at the facility are made by qualified healthcare professionals based on medical judgment, established standards of care and the best interests of the patient.
The statement added that such decisions are made in consultation with authorised family representatives where necessary and that billing and financial procedures are governed by institutional policies and are separate from clinical decision-making.
The hospital noted that it values feedback from patients and their families and considers both positive and negative comments important for improving the quality of care.
Mr. Blackson had earlier used social media to criticise the care his mother received at UGMC, prompting the hospital’s response.
By: Jacob Aggrey
