Some of the aggrieved cocoa farmers wearing red arm bands
SCORES OF aggrieved cocoa farmers within the Ejisu Municipality in the Ashanti Region have raised red flags against alleged attempts to turn their farmlands into construction sites.
Numbering about 2,000, the affected cocoa farmers are from communities such as Asapong, Edwenase, Asuoso, Onwe and Amoadu – all in the municipality.
The farmers refused to go to farm on Friday as they rather embarked on a mammoth demonstration at Onwe to publicly express their frustration and anger.
Wearing red arm bands and singing war songs, the cocoa farmers threatened to violently crush anybody or group that would try to destroy their farmlands.
Mr. Kwaku Boateng – leader of the aggrieved cocoa farmers – alleged that in 2015 the traditional authority made attempts to snatch their farms from them. They were then made to believe that the farmlands were supposed to be given to the Ghana Free Zones Board but their checks proved that it was false.
Mr. Boateng said “in November 2018, some surveyors stormed our farms and they started to demarcate it without our consent or approval”.
He said they have realized that some people wanted to destroy their cocoa farms and turn the place into a construction site which is very unfortunate. He stressed that any attempt to destroy their cocoa farms would affect cocoa production in the country so they would not allow such a thing to happen.
On behalf of the aggrieved cocoa farmers, he passionately appealed to the Asantehene, Otumfuo Osei Tutu II, to come to their aid else they would lose their source of livelihood.
FROM I.F. Joe Awuah Jnr., Kumasi