By King Amoah
A prominent cocoa farmer and Assemblyman for the Nkwanta Asomprah East Electoral Area Hon. Issifu Basomah has offered a direct and decisive solution to the persistent challenge of cocoa smuggling in Ghan.
He says a significant and bold improvement in the government’s cocoa purchasing price can curb cocoa snuggling in the country.
Speaking to the correspondent in an exclusive interview on Saturday, October 11 in Nkwanta, Hon. Issifu Basomah asserted that the surest way to curb cocoa smuggling hinges on the government’s willingness to substantially raise the price paid to farmers.
Basomah who is aa popular cocoa farmer in the Dormaa West region emphasized that cocoa plays a pivotal role as a primary source of national income.
However, he lamented that the very farmers who make this production a reality are often inadequately compensated a situation he believes creates an irresistible incentive for some cocoa farmers to smuggle their produce to the neighbouring countries.
This is apparently for better profit margins, he pointed out
While expressing his gratitude for the recent increases in the cocoa price Hon. Basomah pointed out that despite these efforts the current price per cocoa bag in Ghana remains too low when compared to what is offered to farmers in the Ivory Coast.
Calling for an extra price adjustment, he contended that the substantial financial resources currently allocated to anti cocoa smuggling task forces are largely ineffective.
Such efforts he indicated cannot fully address the problem as cocoa smugglers consistently find so many ways to operate and circumvent controls.
Instead Hon. Basomah proposed a bold re strategizing: the government should divert the money currently spent on the anti cocoa smuggling operations and channel it directly into incentives for cocoa farmers.
This he believes would serve as a powerful deterrent to encourage farmers to desist from smuggling practices by making local sales more profitable and appealing.
Hon. Issifu Basomah conceded that instances of cocoa smuggling might never be entirely eradicated from the system.
However he maintained that if the cocoa price is well improved amidst well structured incentives to cocoa farmers cocoa smuggling in the country would be drastically curbed to the advantage of the nation.
He underscored that genuine economic empowerment for farmers is the most sustainable weapon against illicit trade.
