Stop diverting fertilizers meant for cocoa farmers, you will suffer for it – Cocoa Board warns
The Ghana Cocoa Board has expressed worry about the shameless diversion of fertilizer meant for cocoa farmers for other purposes, an act that hurts the government’s efforts to make the commodity available to farmers.
All persons involved in the act have been cautioned by the management of Cocoa Board to desist from the act or prepare to face the law when they are caught.
It bemoaned that fertilizer given to cocoa farming cooperatives to use on their farms for more yield ends up being diverted and sold by some bad nuts, this according to COCOBOD will cause low yields as most of the farmers cannot afford the high price at the markets.
A statement issued by the COCOBOD said that the heavily subsidized fertilizer was to boost the yield for the cocoa farmers and one risks prosecution if he or she attempts to resell them.
COCOBOD seized the opportunity to advise those involved in such practice to stop as they risk being prosecuted and would face the full rigours of the law. Also, it cautioned farmers who are conniving with such unscrupulous people to short-change other farmers to desist from such practice as the consequences of such an action await them.
Read the statement below.
It has come to the attention of Management of Ghana Cocoa Board (COCOBOD) that cocoa fertilizers supplied to cocoa farmers through various farmer Cooperatives/Groups and Associations for application on farms are being diverted and sold by unscrupulous persons.
We wish to inform the general public that the cocoa fertilizers have been heavily subsidized by government to ensure accessibility and affordability to all farmers to increase farm yields and any attempt to resell them amounts to diversion which is an offence.
COCOBOD will, therefore like to use this medium to warn all persons involved in this illegal act to desist from the practice or risk facing the full rigours of the law, which will include arrest and prosecution. We also wish to caution cocoa farmers who are conniving with such miscreants in the diversion of the subsidized fertilizers to refrain from it immediately or face the consequences of their actions.
We are, by this release, urging all security agencies to be vigilant and intercept suspected cocoa fertilizers, chemicals and other inputs in the possession of persons without the required documentations covering the movement of such items for further investigations.
We also wish to encourage the general public to report all suspected cases to the Ghana Police Service for the necessary action.
ISSUED BY:
COCOBOD MANAGEMENT
