Correspondence from Western Region

Cocoa farmers in Gwira community of the Nzema East Municipality in the Western Region have received truckloads of fertilizer.

Farmers in the area can heave a great sigh of relief as this is the first time the fertilizers have been brought to their doorsteps.

The Gwira enclave, which forms part of the Evalue-Ajomoro Gwira Constituency is the main breadbasket of the Nzema East Municipality and produces tons of Cocoa to augment Cocoa production in the country.

Farmers in the area hitherto travelled to Ellembelle, Ahanta West, Prestea Huni-Valley and Amenfi East, to buy farming inputs which affected their farming activities. Some spent weeks in these locations before they were served.

In the run-up to the 2016 Elections, Catherine Abelema Afeku, the Member of Parliament for the area, pledged that when voted as their MP, she would lobby for Gwira to get a Cocoa District.

True to her word, in 2017 Catherine invited Cocobod officials to Gwira for assessment and approval.

On the second day of December 2019, the CEO of Cocobod, Mr. Joseph Boahen Aidoo, Hon Catherine Afeku and the MCE officially declared the Nzema East Municipality as a Cocoa District in a colourful event involving the Chiefs and people of Gwira.

It can be recalled that the people of Gwiraman led by Omanhene Awulae Angama Tu-Agyan made frantic attempts and calls under the previous NDC administration to make the Nzema East COCOA DISTRICT through the former NDC Member of Parliament, Hon. Kweku Tenekyi Kesse but to no avail.

The manifestation of the COCOA District is evident in Gwiraman taking delivery of thousands of bags of fertilizer in Gwira Asswuah, Ampansie, Eshiem among others, to serve the needs of Cocoa farmers.

The farmers were so elated and amazed when they saw the trucks in their communities.

Some major roads in the Gwira enclave which have never seen bitumen before have been earmarked under the Cocoa Roads initiative as a major benefit of being a Cocoa District.

The main Gwira Aiyinase to Gwira Wiawso road is also under construction.

The farmers were heard singing Four 'More For Nana', 'Four More For Catherine' as they carried their bags of fertilizers to their various homes.

In a short interview with the MP, Hon. Catherine Abelema Afeku after the distribution, she said this was just a tip of the iceberg, adding that more fertilizers would be distributed.

She, therefore, called on the Cocoa Farmers to rally behind the Akufo-Addo-led government.

She said despite the outbreak of the Coronavirus, government would continue to support Cocoa Farmers.

She warned them not to sell the fertilizers to different people but use it to achieve the government's intended purpose.