The National President of the Concerned Farmers Association of Ghana (CFA-Ghana), Nana Oboadie Bonsu II, popularly known as the Farmer General, has raised alarm over the destruction of cocoa farms by illegal mining, warning that Ghana’s increasing focus on gold at the expense of cocoa could have dire long-term consequences.

Speaking on Adom FM’s morning show, Dwaso Nsem, on Tuesday, 3 February, Nana Bonsu underscored the critical role cocoa plays in Ghana’s economy and food security.

“In Ghana, we don’t eat gold, but at least we can eat cocoa. Yet today, most attention seems to be on gold, and Cocobod is being overlooked, and that is not good for our farmers or the nation,” he said.

He explained that although much of CFA-Ghana’s work is done quietly, the association remains actively engaged at the grassroots level, monitoring cocoa farms, engaging farmers and drawing attention to the threat posed by galamsey.

“Most of the issues we know, we cannot say in public, because it may bring problems. But we are out there every day. We even sell brooms to buy fuel so we can visit farms and interact with farmers,” he noted.

Nana Bonsu cited troubling examples from the field, including instances where traditional authorities have allegedly allowed cocoa lands to be repurposed or destroyed.

“In one town in the Ashanti Region, some cocoa farmers told us that the chief said he doesn’t like cocoa farms and wants to convert them into plots. Nothing has been done about it,” he stated.

He stressed that the impact of galamsey on cocoa farming has been persistent and widespread.

“Galamsey has been destroying cocoa farms for a long time. Anyone who says there is no galamsey is lying. We are on the ground, we see it happening,” he said.

The CFA-Ghana President also criticised government and civil society engagement on the issue, claiming the association has often been sidelined despite its on-the-ground experience.

“When President Mahama invited CSOs, there were so many things we wanted to tell him, but we were not invited. Even those who spoke, what did they do? Nothing. We are sitting on a time bomb,” he warned.

Nana Bonsu cautioned that Ghana’s fixation on gold over food security could have serious consequences for the future.

“Where this world is going now, everyone is protecting their land and the environment. But here we are, thinking about gold instead of cocoa. Our third world war won’t be about gold, we cannot eat gold. How much food storage do we have compared to gold? We must protect what feeds our nation,” he said.

He further recounted a recent visit to Wa, where he discovered that more than 200 acres of land had reportedly been allocated for galamsey activities, despite efforts to discourage the practice.

“If someone says galamsey is not happening, they are lying. Our cocoa farms are being destroyed, and if nothing changes, the consequences will be severe,” he concluded.