The opposition New Patriotic Party (NPP) is up in arms over the price increment for cocoa. The government recently increased the price of cocoa from GHC3100,00 to GHC3228.00 per bag.
However, according to the NPP, the National Democratic Congress (which is now in government) should have increased the price to GHC6000.00, because it promised to do so when it was in opposition.
To us at the Daily Searchlight, the positioning of the NDC in times past (when it was in opposition) and the positioning of the NPP (when it is in opposition) is exactly what has led this country to where we are.
International cocoa exportation, sales and pricing at the farm gate is something Ghana has been doing for decades. By now, both political parties should have been able to develop impartial experts who can tell Ghanaians what the farm gate price should be, averagely.
It should not be the case that a serious political party like the NDC would come forward to promise to pay GHC6000.00, when the economics do not support it.
And it is puerile and childish of the NPP to insist today that that price be paid, when the economy does not support it.
The positioning of the two political parties is symptomatic of the immature politicking that has characterized how we handle public policy in this country, which has brought the nation to its knees.
We should be able to tell Ghanaians what the real price of cocoa should be, beyond insisting that the NDC should live up to its pledge, even if the pledge was unrealistic.
Let us grow up!
(Editorial of the Daily Searchlight of 6th August, 2025).
