Els: MBN360
The Minority has alleged a grand government scheme aimed at diverting public attention and debate from the boiling cocoa price cut issue.
The row follows the announcement of a reduction of more than GHs1,000 in the price of a bag of cocoa, a decision attributed to the decline in international market prices.
Addressing TESCON leaders in Parliament, the Minority Leader alleged that the government, under mounting pressure, is making desperate attempts to shift the Minority’s focus away from the issue.
“There is a matter that is giving the government sleepless nights, and the government is struggling. So the government is finding a way to divert attention,” he told the gathering.
According to him, there are deliberate attempts to draw members of the New Patriotic Party (NPP) into discussions on unrelated controversies to dilute focus on the cocoa pricing issue.
Afenyo-Markin, who previously served as majority leader, suggested that governments under intense scrutiny often resort to calculated strategies to manage political heat.
“I’ve been a majority leader before, so I know that sometimes when you are hot, you must find a way of surviving,” he said. “But sometimes our friends don’t get it. You read everything and want to respond to everything. A government can even arrest somebody as a way of diverting attention.”
He also referenced earlier calls by government communicators to investigate alleged procurement breaches during the previous eight-year administration, arguing that such narratives were being revived to sidetrack the cocoa debate.
“It has nothing to do with whether the procurement breaches, as alleged, are true. The communication must go on one path,” he stressed.
“In politics, let’s go this direction. Whether you like it or not, that is the language.”
“On your platforms, when there is a matter that has gone viral, stay the course. When they bring something in, know that it’s a trap,” he cautioned.
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He urged party members, particularly TESCON activists, to remain disciplined and unified in their messaging until the government addresses concerns surrounding the price reduction.
Reflecting on lessons from the party’s recent primaries, he told members, “I noticed something, and I want to share it as a guide.”
“We had a successful presidential primary. Immediately after we finished, somebody out there who is not even known did a simple one-sentence red alert on social media.”
He explained the impact of such distractions.
“For a whole week, NPP, we forgot about the victory of our flagbearer, and we were rather discussing what the person had written and deleted and apologised for something non-existent,” he said.
Warning about the dangers of misinformation online, Mr Afenyo-Markin said, “There is misinformation on social media. And if you’re a politician, you need to keep your eye on the ball.”
He also cautioned members about potential risks in online links, explaining that not everything shared on social media should be trusted or opened.
He warned that some links could carry hidden dangers and stressed that political activists need to be careful about what they click on or engage with, particularly as some people might exploit their position as TESCON members to access personal information.
Highlighting the tendency for gossip to distract, he reminded members, “Focus on the issue.”
“If all of us in this room are talking about cocoa and they need to be paid, we continue every morning #PayTheCocoaFarmers.”
“If we do this on social media, on our WhatsApp platforms, our status, every morning that hashtag is there. Continue this for two weeks. The government will do a U-turn.”
