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31.05.2005 Regional News

Ashanti Cocoa farmers threaten action

31.05.2005 LISTEN
By GNA

Kumasi, May 31, GNA - Cocoa farmers in the Ashanti Region, have threatened to take legal action against what they described as the unlawful removal of the National Chief Farmer.

They are contending that under the Constitution of the Ghana Cocoa, Coffee and Sheanut Farmers Association (GCCSFA), the power to sack National Officers including the Chief Farmer is vested exclusively in Congress and not the Regional Chief Farmers.

"The purported decision by the 10 regional Chief Farmers to kick Nana Ehumah Kpanyili, out of office and the setting up of a four-member Interim Management Committee (IMC) to oversee the running of the Association, is therefore, a breach of the Constitution and should not be allowed to stand".

They took this position at a meeting held in Kumasi on Monday to decide on an appropriate response to the action taken by the regional heads.

They maintained that the IMC chaired by Nana Yiadom Boakye, was "an illegitimate creature".

Nana Moses Oppong Fordjour, Regional Secretary of the farmers Association, said they were determined to make sure that due processes were followed to avoid confusion.

"Under no circumstance, are we going to accept any act of illegality on the part of any self-seeking individual or group," they warned.

The Regional Organiser, Nana Kwaku Duah, said they were not out to protect the National Chief Farmer, if indeed, he was guilty of acts of impropriety or found to be incompetent, but would want to see that the Constitution of the Association was respected and not circumvented.

"Those who have the ambition of leading the GCCSFA should present themselves for election at Congress and must not resort to other means to hijack power".

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