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New cocoa price could lead farmers into smuggling across borders – Minority warns government
The Minority in Parliament has warned that the new cocoa producer price announced by government could push farmers to smuggle their cocoa across Ghana’s borders in search of better prices.
The Minority indicated that the GH¢3,228.75 per 64kg bag offered for the 2025/2026 cocoa season was too low and did not match the current market conditions.
They explained that the new price was only a 4.2% increase from the previous season’s GH¢3,100, describing it as unfair and a betrayal of the hard work of cocoa farmers.
In a statement signed by the Ranking Member on the Food, Agriculture and Cocoa Affairs Committee, Dr. Isaac Yaw Opoku, affirmed that cocoa farmers deserved better.
He noted that the low price could tempt many to smuggle cocoa into Côte d’Ivoire, where farmers were reportedly receiving the equivalent of GH¢3,635 per bag, GH¢407 more than in Ghana.
“This gap in price presents a strong reason for smuggling, especially in border areas like Western North, Western South, Brong Ahafo and Volta,” the minority stated.
They questioned why campaign promises made by leading government officials, including Finance Minister Dr. Cassiel Ato Forson and Agriculture Minister Dr. Eric Opoku, had not been fulfilled.
They recalled that both ministers promised cocoa farmers between GH¢6,000 and GH¢7,000 per bag if the NDC came to power.
They also pointed to the President’s earlier pledge to pay 70% of the world market price to farmers.
According to them, the current global price of $8,211.23 per tonne should translate to GH¢3,718 per bag, not GH¢3,228.75.
The group expressed worry about the announced price saying that it was “unacceptable”, describing it as “ridiculous, shameful and a stab in the back of farmers.”
They urged the government to immediately review the price and show more commitment to improving the welfare of cocoa farmers, warning that the industry could suffer if farmers turn away from cocoa or lease their farms to illegal miners.
“The government must come again. Cocoa farmers matter and they deserve better,” the minority reminded.
By: Jacob Aggrey
Dear Obaa Yaa,
During Eid-ul- Adha celebration, I decided to spend the weekend at my boyfriend’s place since we were planning towards our marriage.
To my surprise, what keeps me wide awake, restless and frustrated every single time is that he snores loudly like a generator running on full power, and I genuinely cannot get any rest
At a point, I thought it was just a normal thing, but I have realised it is something he does with ease and doesn’t see anything wrong with it.
When he steps out in the morning, I try to get enough sleep because I may not sleep in the evening.
The most annoying thing is that, he always wants to cuddle me. These two things are a no for me and a red flag.
We are about to get married, what should I do?
Enam, Keta.
Dear Enam,
The snoring and constant cuddling are frustrating, but you don’t have to choose between sleep and closeness.
Start with the snoring: check if it’s worse when he sleeps on his back, cut out alcohol before bed, try nasal strips or a humidifier, and see a doctor if he pauses while breathing.
For quick relief, foam earplugs or noise-cancelling headphones help a lot.
Separate blankets, a bigger bed, or sleeping apart on some nights often makes couples rest well and feel closer overall.
Bring this up before the wedding .Tell him you want to wake up next to him for years to come, but sleep deprivation makes you both miserable.
Test earplugs and side-sleeping this weekend, and if it’s still unbearable, bring in a doctor. Good sleep matters more for your marriage than staying glued together all night.
The Danish Children Fund (DCF), a Denmark-based NGO supporting children’s education, has encouraged students to prioritise their education and desist from misuse and abuse of drugs to enhance their holistic growth and development.
The call was made during a day’s sensitisation seminar on drug abused for students in Tamale to help them make informed life choices and stay away from abusing drug substances.
The event, held under an initiative dubbed: ‘Youths in Focus,’ brought together students, teachers and officials from the Ghana Police Service, Narcotics Control Commission and Ghana Education Service to educate young people on the dangers associated with drugs abused and their addiction trends.
Mr Benjamin Yin, Project Manager of DCF and Headmaster of Kalpohin SDA Basic School, speaking during the event, said the intervention was necessitated by increasing concerns over drugs abused among the youth in Tamale.
He said the organisation, which primarily focused on supporting needy children to remain in school, recognised the need to complement educational support with interventions that empowered young people to make responsible decisions.
Mr Yin highlighted some achievements of the DCF in the education sector in Tamale and said the organisation currently sponsored 55 vulnerable children to remain in school, most of whom were orphans.
He explained that out of the number, 23 beneficiaries were at Kalpohin SDA School, 18 at Tamale SDA School and 15 at Jakarayili School.
He said the support package included learning materials, food and other essential items to prevent school dropouts.
Beyond educational sponsorship, he said the organisation had invested in educational infrastructure to improve learning environments in beneficiary schools.
The Assistant Superintendent of Police (ASP), Mr Richard Akumi, Deputy Northern Regional Crime Officer, who addressed the students during the event, described the abuse of drugs among young people as a major challenge requiring collective action.
He said the Ghana Police Service had intensified efforts to tackle the abuse of drug in the region through law enforcement operations and community sensitisation programmes.
ASP Mr Akumi noted that the Northern Regional Police Command’s Special Operations Team had been carrying out operations across Tamale to dismantle drug hotspots and arrest suspects involved in drug-related activities. –GNA
