The Concerned Farmers Association of Ghana has declared their support for former Afric Minister Dr. Afriyie Akoto, advising the New Patriotic Party (NPP) to elect him as the presidential candidate.

According to the Association, the former minister is someone they can trust and someone with a track record who can be the next president of the republic.

President of the Association, Nana Oboadie Boateng Bonsu, stated that "if the NPP wants to break the 8-year-jinx like they keep claiming, they should elect the former minister as their presidential candidate. We do not want them to elect a liar as a candidate otherwise, we will not vote for the person. As farmers, we trust and believe in the leadership of Dr. Afriyie Akoto. He is the best man for the job. So, if they want our votes, they should vote for him”.

He praised some of the former minister’s accomplishments on Rainbow Radio 87.5Fm’s Frontline.

He stated that the aspiring presidential candidate was the one who opposed the indiscriminate destruction of cocoa farms for galamsey purposes, as well as the plantation of rubber, among other things.

He also revealed that it took the minister’s intervention for COCOBOD to pay farmers whose trees were destroyed as part of the rehabilitation project.

He claimed that the payment was delayed for more than six months until the minister intervened.

"The former minister was the only one who stood up to those who were destroying cocoa farmers through galamsey and rubber planting. He was the one who stepped in when we were faced with expensive food. He was the one who stepped in and got our money back from the cocoa rehabilitation project. We prefer someone who is a farmer because we are farmers. Dr. Akoto works as a farmer. "Because Mahama is also a farmer, the NPP should elect him as their candidate if they want us to vote for them to break the eight,” he told host Kwabena Agyapong.

"He is the only candidate who deserves to lead the NPP. As I previously stated, he has a solid track record. If he is elected as the presidential candidate, he will receive a massive vote. He is a farmer and understands what we are going through.”

He also touted the rearing for food and jobs and the one district one factory.