Cocoa Farmers at Hiawu Besease Cry for Help Over Destruction of Farms

Cocoa farmers at Hiawu Besease in the Atwima Nwabiagya South Municipality of the Ashanti Region are appealing to the government through COCOBOD and His Royal Majesty Otumfuo Osei Tutu II to come to their aid, as traditional authorities in the community have destroyed their cocoa farms without their consent.

According to the aggrieved farmers, they wake up in the morning to see that their cocoa farms, which serve as their livelihood, have been destroyed without any negotiation with them.

They said after the incident they approached the authorities and information available to them indicates that their farms have been affected by a rezoning project to be used as plots of land,without approaching them for compensation which they consider as very unfair treatment.

Mr. Fuseni Alhassan, Chairman of the affected farmers, speaking to newsmen during a peaceful demonstration, called on COCOBOD to come to their aid, since this action by the traditional authorities goes contrary to the new Act, Regulation 2026, which prevents individuals from destroying cocoa farms without notifying COCOBOD.

The news team approach the authorities but declined to speak to us.