Rot @ Cocoa Research Institute, Tafo � Officials Diverting & Selling Fertilizers To Cocoa Farmers

Many cocoa farmers especially those in the Western Region are angry with the NDC government and vowing to show the party where the power lies thanks to the criminal activities of some workers of the Cocoa Research Institute of Ghana, CRIG, at Tafo in the Eastern Region. Fertilizers which used to be given freely to the farmers to enable them increase their produce is now being sold to them by some unscrupulous workers of the institute. The farmers are therefore naturally peeved with the ruling government. �Daily Post� investigations revealed that fertilizers given to CRIG by COCOBOD to be distributed to the farmers are often diverted and thus never reach the stores of the institute at Tafo. The diverted fertilizers, which are kept at an old cocoa shed in the Tafo township are later sold to cocoa farmers. Recently, farmers from as far as Bibiani in the Western Region had to travel all the way to Tafo to buy fertilizers from this unscrupulous group of persons. The farmers returned home fuming and cursing the NDC government. There is every indication that the Executive Director of the Institute, Mr. Frank Manu-Amoah is aware of this state of affairs but has failed to do anything about it. Indeed, just recently, the Manager of one of CRIG�s cocoa plantations, Mr. Ntiamoah, was found to have sold chemicals for spraying cocoa to a chemical seller at Wassa Akronpong in the Western Region. Though the Executive Director of CRIG is aware of this, he has failed to act, allowing the stealing to go on unabated. Under the NPP, CRIG used to provide fertilizers free of charge to the farmers. Extension officers from the institute also go out to teach the farmers how to use the fertilizers. However, all these have stopped once the NDC came to power. More Anon