John Ntim Fordjour, Ranking Member on Parliament’s Defence and Interior Committee, has criticised the government for insisting that the country’s economy is performing better.
According to him, the purported economic gains are artificial because they do not reflect the real living conditions of ordinary Ghanaians.
He argued that a truly improved economy would be evident in the welfare of citizens, including the ability of the state to promptly pay cocoa farmers—something he says has not happened under the current administration.
Rev. Ntim Fordjour made the remarks during an interview on Okay FM on March 7, 2026.
“If the gains are real, they should be felt in the pockets of the people. If inflation is said to be going down, then the prices of goods should also come down. But that is not the case. If I have GH¢1,000 today and cannot buy the things I used to buy, then what exactly is the government telling us?” he questioned.
He further lamented the plight of farmers, claiming that many are struggling to sell their produce while others watch their harvest rot without intervention.
“After all the stress cocoa farmers have gone through, they have not been paid for the past four months. They are forced to borrow money just to survive, which is worrying. What is even more troubling is that the price of cocoa has been reduced after promises were made to pay GH¢6,500. Is this what a good economy looks like?” he asked.
Rev. Ntim Fordjour also accused the government of undermining the cocoa sector, saying the livelihoods of cocoa farmers and purchasing clerks have deteriorated.
“You cannot come and tell me the economy is good. Which economy is better? You have collapsed the cocoa economy. Cocoa farmers are worse off, and purchasing clerks are also worse off under this government,” he said.
He further criticised comparisons with Ivory Coast, arguing that the government had a direct social contract with Ghanaian farmers and should be judged by the promises it made to them.
“You had a social contract with the farmers, so using Ivory Coast as a benchmark should not even be part of the conversation. You disregarded Ghanaian farmers after making promises that led them to vote against the previous government,” he stated.
Rev. Ntim Fordjour warned that the people of Ghana would hold the ruling National Democratic Congress accountable if it fails to honour its commitments to cocoa farmers.
