President John Dramani Mahama last week took his ‘Thank You Tour’ to the Bono, Bono East, and Ahafo regions, ostensibly to express his gratitude to the people for their support in the 2024 general elections.
As has been the format of these engagements wherever the President has visited, he has also used the opportunity to spell out his vision and programme of action for the development of the specific region.
It, therefore, did not come as a surprise when, during his visit to Ahafo, the President announced a broader plan to accelerate development in the three regions.
Of particular interest was his address at Goaso, the regional capital of Ahafo—one of the newly created regions in 2019. The President’s address signalled an ambitious turnaround strategy for Ghana’s cocoa industry.
His commitment to add 200,000 hectares of cocoa farms, set up local processing factories, and raise producer prices was a refreshing message, not only to cocoa farmers, but to the entire country, given the vital linkages within the cocoa value chain.
The cocoa sector, once the lifeblood of Ghana’s rural economy, has suffered years of declining yields, low prices, and waning farmer morale. The government’s renewed focus on reviving the sector is both timely and necessary.
Central to the new plan is value addition. The proposed cocoa processing factories, if realised, would not only create jobs but also enable the country to capture more revenue locally, instead of exporting raw beans for foreign profit.
This shift from being merely a producer to a processor is essential if Ghana is to reposition itself in the global cocoa value chain. While this message resonates well with us at The Ghanaian Times, we hope that the necessary building blocks will be put in place quickly to make this vision a reality.
Not to sound pessimistic, but it is important to note that similar commitments have been made in the past, many of which did not materialise. The promise of better compensation and domestic processing is likely to serve as a morale booster for farmers.
For the cocoa sector to truly recover, The Ghanaian Times believes the government must move beyond rhetoric to action—providing specific timelines, adequate funding, and continuous stakeholder engagement.
Another highlight of the President’s tour was the announcement of a cashew processing factory in the Bono Region. Like cocoa, cashew is a major cash crop that suffers from an export-heavy model.
Moving processing closer to the farms is a strategic step, and we believe it could unlock more value from this important resource.
This revival is not just about infrastructure or prices; it is about trust. Rural communities have heard similar lofty pledges over the years.
The government must demonstrate clear timelines, dedicated financing, and strong community involvement are essential.
We are of the firm belief that if the President’s vision is fully implemented, both the cocoa and cashew sectors could experience a real renaissance. The potential for economic transformation is clear.
The soil is ready, the seeds of reform have been planted, yet what remains is for leadership to water them with decisive action.
