A group of cocoa farmers has expressed its opposition to the plans by the Ghana Cocoa Board (COCOBOD) to halt the construction of cocoa roads in key growing areas.

The cocoa sector regulator recently announced that it would discontinue the construction of the roads under its programme once the ongoing projects were completed.

The President of the Concerned Farmers Association of Ghana, Mr Oboadie Boateng Bonsu, said the move would further compound the woes of cocoa production.

He explained that the lack of access roads would affect the transportation of foodstuffs, especially to cocoa growing areas.

“If care is not taken, the country will collapse. A lot of foodstuffs come from Dwaboso, Besem, and the rest. So, if they are stopping the road construction, how can the people from Boso-Nkwanta and the rest, which are the cocoa growing areas, bring their foodstuffs to the various communities or to the neighbouring cities and districts for people to enjoy? Their roads have been deprived of tarring, and they are very dangerous,” he was quoted by citinewsroom.com.Mr Bonsu also lamented that COCOBOD did not care about the real farmers on the ground, who were working hard to ensure that the cocoa sector was well established.

“I think COCOBOD has people that they engage, but I am talking about the real farmers on the ground, the concerned farmers, cocoa farmers, and even those of us who are helping to ensure that the cocoa is well established. Nobody touches the cocoa trees in this country, and they don’t even care about us. Even when we give them our reports, they don’t even respond,” he added.

Meanwhile, COCOBOD has explained that the decision was part of a turnaround strategy by the government to ensure that the entity remained viable and focused on its core mandate.