The Chief of Bonkrom, Nana Kwadwo Nsiah I, has described as “unacceptable” an alleged attempt by members of the National Democratic Congress (NDC) to disrupt a farmers’ engagement organised by the Minority Caucus in his community.
Speaking during the event, the chief criticised the conduct of the NDC members, stressing the need for political actors to respect local authority and due process when organising programmes within the community.
“Today’s incident was unacceptable. As community leaders, my elders and I are not opposed to any party, including the NDC. If you wish to organise an event, please approach us to discuss and schedule it properly. It’s essential to keep us informed before proceeding with any programme,” he said.
The incident occurred on Tuesday, March 17, in the Ahafo Ano North District of the Ashanti Region, during the second day of the Minority Caucus’s tour engaging cocoa farmers on concerns over the recent cocoa price cut.
The engagement, led by Minority Chief Whip Frank Annoh-Dompreh and other New Patriotic Party (NPP) Members of Parliament, forms part of a broader regional outreach to assess the impact of the price reduction on farmers.
Tensions reportedly flared when local NDC officials scheduled a parallel meeting with the same group of farmers at the same durbar grounds in Bonkrom, creating a clash over venue and timing.
Security personnel, including police and immigration officers, intervened to prevent any escalation, stopping the NDC group from using the premises and maintaining order throughout the programme.
Nana Kwadwo Nsiah I explained that the durbar grounds had already been booked for the Minority’s engagement about two weeks prior, and that his office had not been informed about any competing event by the NDC.
He added that while the community remains open to all political parties, organisers must follow laid-down procedures to avoid conflict.
Some cocoa farmers who witnessed the incident expressed concern over what they described as an attempt to disrupt their engagement with the MPs.
One farmer, Yaw Ofori, said the meeting was initially planned for Akwasiase but had to be relocated to Bonkrom due to fears of disruption.
“Our MP initially told us that we would be meeting the NPP MPs at Akwasiase. However, we received information that supporters of the NDC were planning to disrupt the meeting, so we decided to change the venue to Bonkrom. Despite this change, they still tried to cause chaos and almost disrupted the programme,” he said.
Another farmer, Dapaah Eric, noted that although the Minority had secured the venue in advance, some NDC members still attempted to use the same location and later considered holding their event nearby.
The development highlights growing political tensions at the local level, particularly around issues affecting cocoa farmers, as parties intensify engagement efforts in key regions.
The leadership of the Minority Caucus is yet to officially comment on the incident, while the NDC has also not issued a response.
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