GNACOFA accuses Best Cocoa Farmer Award Winners of no show after receiving monetary rewards from Gov’t

The National President of the Ghana National Cocoa Farmers Association (GNACOFA) Mr. Stevenson Anane Boateng has accused farmers group in the National Award Winners Association of Ghana, (N.A.W.A.G) particularly those award winners for virtually not making any positive impact to improve the agriculture industry to justify their awards.

Speaking to Me ModernGhana News in an interview, Mr Boateng expressed displeasure that government initiated the Farmers Day Awards Concept with a prime motive to award and encourage farmers to increase the productivities of farmers.

He added that the award winners are also expected to use their knowledge and expertise to help the youth develop interest in farm work.

Mr Boateng noted that the move will not only create employment but also help to increase the supply of food for exports to generate foreign exchange to support the economy.

According to the President of the GNACOFA, instead of the award winners take advantage of their awards and embark on educational drive to woo more youth into the agriculture sector to curb the unemployment menace in the country, they misuse both the cash and material from the awards.

Mr. Boateng indicated that the most worrying part of it all is that some of the Best Cocoa Farmers Award Winners hide under the cover of the Association, liaise with the World Cocoa Organization/Foundation and solicit huge sums of monies under the guise of disbursing them to cocoa farmers to expand their farms.

He described the institutionalization of the National Farmers Day Awards Concept as a waste of national resources and called for a review.

Mr Boateng also took the opportunity to condemn the criteria been used in the selection of the award winners.

He alleged that in most cases officials responsible for the awards selection often take bribes.