The free supply of inputs to cocoa farmers by Ghana Cocoa Board (COCOBOD) is intact and transparent, an intelligent operative of the Board has declared.

The operative who spoke on behalf of Dr. Stephen Opuni, the Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of the COCOBOD made the declaration at a press briefing organized by the Ashanti Regional Office of the Cocoa Health and Extension Division (CHED), at Tepa in the Ahafo-Ano North District of Ashanti Region.

It was a reaction “to clarify and set the records straight” regarding an allegation by Nana James Kwabena Dankwa, chief farmer at Numasua (aka Camp Two), a cocoa-growing community in the Tepa Cocoa District, in a news item, aired on Radio Gold FM on Monday, August 31, alleging that “farmers from Tepa, Nyinahini and Obuasi have been deprived of the mass cocoa spraying exercise and distribution of some farm inputs”.

Nana Dankwa also alleged that the distribution was done on partisan basis.

The story, also published under the headline: “Naked demo to hit Flagstaff House over cocoa inputs” on www.myjoyonline.comon Wednesday, September 2, further indicated that farmers in those areas“have been using their meagre resources to purchase the farm inputs and also spray their crops”.

The operative said the process of carting, delivery and distribution of inputs like fertilizers, fungicides and pesticides and spraying machines by the COCOBOD as incentive packages to the farmers in the cocoa industry for increased yields.

He indicated that higher national production of the commodity had been on course.

He explained that on assumption of office, Dr. Opuni made security of the cocoa industry his priority, because of the several complaints to him from farmers about the irregularities and diversions pertaining to the distribution of the inputs to them (farmers).

The operative who was instrumental in the recent arrest of two police personnel and their accomplices at the Achirensua barrier in the Asutifi South District, concerning the diversion of 350 bags of fertilizers from Sankore in the Asunafo South District to Kumasi, emphasized that “strict but transparent system was in place for the distribution of the inputs”.

 “Due to the strengthened security operations under Dr. Opuni’s administration, inputs from the warehouse in Tema were monitored into the region, through the district, and finally to the farm gate for the benefit of farmers”, he added.

The operative stated that because of that “diversion of inputs has now become difficult”, citing that “few people who have attempted that were not successful and therefore landed them in the Court of law”.

Mrs. Faustine Asamany, Ashanti Regional Manager of CHED, earlier catalogued the statistics of receipts about consignment allocation of inputs comprising fungicides against black pod disease, fertilizers for increased cocoa yield and insecticides against capsid and mist blowers (motorised spraying machines) to the Region.

Mrs. Asamany emphasised that these inputs had been accordingly distributed fairly and equitably for the benefit of the farmers, including those at the Camp Two cocoa farming community between April and July this year.

“It was therefore shocking for Nana Dankwa to make that unfounded allegation about the inputs distribution in the Ashanti Region and Camp Two in particular,  where he is a beneficiary of those supplies”, she added.

Nana Dankwa who appeared a bit senile and flanked by Nana KwadwoMorgyie, Odikro of Numasua, Nana Kwame Peprah, Kurontirehene of Numasua, and other elders of the community, retracted that the said news item on Radio Gold and myjoyonline “is not true because no input has either been sold to farmers in the Tepa Cocoa District, or diverted from that area to anywhere”.

He, therefore, apologized to Dr. Opuni for calling for his removal from office, as was aired and published on Radio Gold and myjoyonline respectively.