The Minister for Government Communications, Felix Kwakye Ofosu, has pushed back strongly against the opposition New Patriotic Party (NPP) following its reaction to President John Mahama’s recent comments on cocoa producer pricing.
Speaking on Asempa FM’s Ekosii Sen programme, Kwakye Ofosu rejected claims by some NPP communicators that the President was wrong to describe himself as a cocoa farmer personally affected by producer price decisions. According to him, the criticism is misplaced and politically motivated.
He argued that there was nothing inappropriate about the President acknowledging his connection to cocoa farming, adding that attempts to portray the remark as problematic were aimed at stirring unnecessary public discontent.
“It is NPP propagandists who think the President speaking as a farmer affected by cocoa pricing is a bad thing,” he said. “There is nothing wrong with what he said. This looks like a deliberate effort to create discontent where none exists. They will always find fault with his remarks.”
Kwakye Ofosu also questioned what he described as the NPP’s sudden concern for cocoa farmers, suggesting that their current stance contrasts sharply with their record while in government.
He maintained that during periods of high global cocoa prices, farmers did not receive a fair share of the proceeds, accusing the previous administration of failing to prioritise their welfare.
“When did the NPP start caring so much about Ghanaians?” he asked. “At a time when cocoa sold for 10,000 Ghana cedis on the world market, farmers were given only about 30%, while the rest was taken.”
The Minister urged critics to focus on substantive challenges within the cocoa sector rather than politicising the President’s personal experience as a farmer. He stressed that discussions about cocoa pricing and farmer welfare should be grounded in policy and practical solutions, not partisan disputes.
According to him, acknowledging the President’s background as a cocoa farmer should be seen as a point of empathy and understanding, not a subject for political controversy.
