President of Côte d’Ivoire, Alassane Ouattara, has paid glowing tribute to his Ghanaian counterpart, President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo, for building a solid relationship with his country.
He said President Akufo-Addo has shown “leadership and commitment to strengthening the cooperation between Ghana and Côte d’Ivoire,” securing a mouthwatering deal for cocoa farmers.
The Ivorian leader who was speaking at the country’s 7th National Cocoa and Chocolate Day (la Journee Nationale du Cacao et du Chocolat) celebration in Yamoussoukro, Cote d’Ivoire’s political capital noted that he has built solid rapport with President Akufo-Addo, the current ECOWAS chairman.
The event was also used to honour Chief Executive of Ghana Cocoa Board (COCOBOD) Joseph Boahen Aidoo and his Ivorian counterpart, Yves Brahima Kone with the conferment of the Commander of the National Order of Merit of Côte d’Ivoire by President Ouattara.
“Please convey my heartfelt thanks and consideration to his Excellency my brother, my friend, Nana Akufo-Addo.
“Nana is a friend of mine and we are both sons of Cote d’Ivoire and Ghana”.
According to him, even ahead of hosting the event he conferred with President Akufo-Addo where he gave his blessing and support, wishing him well.
“Last night I talked to President, to tell him we are going to have this ceremony today. Of course, he told me good luck and he said he’s fully with us in this ceremony”, President Ouattara told the Cocoa day gathering on Thursday.
The conferment of the award on Mr Aidoo was for his meritorious service to the cocoa industry especially for spearheading new cocoa pricing with the implementation of Living Income Differential (LID).
President Alassane Ouattara said the new innovative pricing system was coming at the time cocoa pricing is experiencing some downturn, indicating that the LID will put more money into the pockets of cocoa farmers.
President Ouatarra said the LID deal bolstered by the strong ties between the two countries with the two leaders giving their blessings to the project which today allowing cocoa farmers to access extra $400 per tonne of cocoa beans supplied.
He said the two leaders showed strong commitment to the project after the signing of the MoU in Accra during a State Visit two years ago finally consummating the deal.
Cocoa contributes 40% of Cote d’Ivoire export earnings.
The leading cocoa producer of about 2million tonnes per year is deriving huge windfall for its cocoa farmers, raking in over $800million from the LID.
Ghana and Cote d’Ivoire jointly produce 65% of world market of cocoa.
President Ouattara paid homage to cocoa farmers for supporting the economies of the two nations, promising that their interest will always be protected.
The Ivorian Minister for Agriculture and Rural Development, Kobenan Kouassi Adjoumani , was not shy of attributing the successful negotiation of the LID to the leadership role Ghana played in securing the deal.
He said Ivorian cocoa farmers should be thankful to Ghana’s president, Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo and COCOBOD Chief Executive, Joseph Boahen Aidoo for their foresight in coming out with the strategy to earn extra income for cocoa farmers.
With ravaging effects of Covid-19 pandemic on all sectors of the economy, the Ivorian Agric minister noted that cocoa farmers are few people who are smiling to the bank even though cocoa prices dropped at the international market but for the LID.
He congratulated Mr Aidoo for his foresight for initiating the LID to help the industry.
Mr Aidoo thanked the Ivorian leader for the highest recognition accorded him, saying that LID is the greatest legacy of the two presidents.
From Fortune Alimi, Yamoussoukro