Dr. Okofrobuor Obeng Nuakoh III
The Dunkwahene, Dr. Okofrobuor Obeng Nuakoh III, has warned cocoa farmers not to surrender their lands to illegal miners despite growing concerns over cocoa producer prices.
He noted that although many farmers are unhappy about recent price adjustments and the rising cost of farm inputs, resorting to galamsey would only bring long-term destruction to their livelihoods and communities.
In an interview with the media, Nana Okofrobuor emphasised that illegal mining activities permanently degrade fertile cocoa lands, pollute rivers and streams, and leave behind dangerous pits that threaten lives. He said lands destroyed by galamsey often become waterlogged and unsuitable for future farming, thereby deepening poverty in affected areas.
According to him, cocoa farming remains a sustainable and reliable source of income, and farmers must protect their lands rather than trade them for short-term gains from illegal mining operators.
Ghana’s cocoa sector, a key contributor to foreign exchange earnings, has in recent years faced serious challenges, including declining production, climate change impacts, cocoa swollen shoot disease, smuggling, and increasing production costs.
The growing menace of illegal mining on cocoa farms has further compounded the situation, raising fears about the long-term sustainability of the industry.
The Dunkwahene, therefore, called on the government to introduce measures to cushion farmers, particularly by reducing the cost of agrochemicals and weedicides to ease their financial burden.
He further urged authorities not to underestimate the role of farmers in national development, stressing that agriculture—whether food crops, cash crops or large-scale farming—remains the backbone of the economy and must be safeguarded.
FROM David Afum, Dunkwa