Joyce Bawah Mogtari, an aide to former President John Dramani Mahama, has said Mr Mahama should be voted for to be president again in the 2024 general elections to enable him to grow the cocoa sector.
She noted that after 66 years of Ghana’s Independence, the cocoa sector certainly deserves better.
Mr Mahama had promised to develop the cocoa roads for cocoa growing areas and also promised to construct Cocoa Processing factories in Cocoa growing areas.
Bawah Mogtari described this as welcome news!
“My Old Uncle who has always lived and worked in a Cocoa growing area is super excited about this development and so are his adult children! Let’s help @JDMahama to deliver on this promise to the people within the Cocoa growing community and for Ghana! Such developments will surely help deliver on the #24HourWorkingEconomy,” she wrote on her X Platform.
After 66 years of Independence, the Cocoa Sector certainly deserves better. Cocoa roads for cocoa growing areas and now a promise to construct Cocoa Processing factories in Cocoa growing areas is welcome news!
My Old Uncle who has alway lived and worked in a Cocoa growing area…
— Joyce Bawah Mogtari (@joyce_bawah) December 15, 2023
Former President John Mahama had observed that roads in cocoa-growing districts are in a deplorable state and further accused the government of failing to fund construction after an audit of awarded contracts.
According to him, $250 million was set aside from the cocoa syndicated loan annually for the cocoa roads program.
“When I was Vice President, all chiefs were demanding improvement in roads. So I promised that I would institute the cocoa roads policy if I became President. It was to ensure $250 million, the 2 billion dollar syndicated cocoa loan is set aside for road infrastructure.
“We ensured that the Western Region got a chunk of the project. The NPP government came and halted the project for auditing. It took more than four years for them to clear the contractors. But some of the roads that were halfway done have further deteriorated”, he said.
Addressing residents of Essam in Bia East District as part of his “Building Ghana Tour”, Mr. Mahama has pledged to restore the program when voted into power.
“We started the Esam Town Roads to a point, I am not sure they have continued. The Bono and Ahafo Regions have similar concerns. If I become President we will reactivate the project and get the contractors back on site”, he added.
Many cocoa areas visited by the “Building Ghana Tour” have passionately appealed for improved roads.