The Director of Communications of the New Patriotic Party (NPP), Richard Ahiagbah, has wondered how innocent former President John Dramani Mahama is regarding the poor state of cocoa roads in the country.
His comment comes after Joyce Bawah Mogtari, an aide to former President John Mahama said the flagbearer of the National Democratic Congress (NDC) should be voted for to be president again in the 2024 general elections to enable him to grow the cocoa sector.
Bawah Mogtari 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 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.
Also writing on his X platform, Mr Ahiagbah said “66 years, who is to blame? Who has had the lion’s share of this 66 years? How innocent is H.E Mahama in this debate you want to start? Is he new to the problem you are trying to foist on others? Is this a new concern that just dropped from the skies or it has always been there? If it has always been there, what did he do about it when he was the Vice President and President for 8 years?
“Please don’t tell us that under H.E. John Mahama, contracts were awarded to construct Cocoa roads because such unfunded contracts were the last ditch effort to acquire votes in 2016. Finally, what is the agenda for Savannah and Bole Bamboi? The Akufo-Addo-Bawumia Administration has delivered the Savannah Region to the good people of Gonjaland and is working to bring it to its deserved glory. What does Savannah & Bole Bamboi deserve? @joyce_bawah , let’s begin from here! Good Morning my sister!”