Scores of cocoa farmers from the Guan District in the Oti Region have besieged the Ghana Cocoa Board (COCOBOD) office in Hohoe to demand payment of monies owed them for cocoa beans supplied to the state. 

The farmers said they delivered their cocoa produce to various Licensed Buying Companies (LBCs) between November last year and February this year but are yet to receive payment.

The delay, they said, has caused severe financial hardship and frustration among farmers who depend on proceeds from cocoa farming to support their families.

Speaking to Adom News, Cocoa Chief Farmer for the area, Divine Katsakpa, expressed disappointment over the situation, saying farmers in the Oti Region have not benefited from the government’s announcement that GH¢2.6 billion had been released to LBCs to pay cocoa farmers across the country.

He said the unpaid arrears have affected his ability to cater for his family, including paying his wife’s medical bills and his children’s school fees.

“We have worked hard, but we are being treated with negligence. I cannot even take care of my sick wife or keep my children in school because the money we worked for is being held back,” he said.

The farmers have given the government and COCOBOD a three-day ultimatum to settle all outstanding payments.

They warned that failure to address their concerns by Friday will compel them to return to the Hohoe COCOBOD office in larger numbers to demand their money, reclaim their cocoa beans, or occupy the premises until their payments are made.

Some of the farmers who joined the protest shared similar experiences, saying the delay in payment has forced some children to drop out of school while others have had to defer their university education.

They described the situation as a threat to the future of cocoa-growing communities.

An official at the Hohoe COCOBOD office, identified as Mr. Senyo, acknowledged the farmers’ concerns and assured them that their grievances would be communicated to the relevant authorities for prompt action.