Mango Farmers In Northern Ghana Angry Over EXIM bank Neglect

The Mango farmers in the five regions of the north have given the managers of Ghana’s EXIM Bank two weeks to pay monies due them also for the maintenance of their farms as also contained in an agreement they signed in the 2014 and 2015. The farmers say the bank’s failure to honour its obligations has caused some of them to lose their farms, whereas suppliers are chasing others

their money. Mango as a fruit has enormous potential that can contribute significantly to Ghana’s agricultural sector. The country’s coastal, Savannah, the Northern Ashanti, transitional zones of Ashanti and Brong Ahafo Regions, the Northern Volta and all the five regions of the North, are very suitable for the mango production, meeting international quality specifications and these

areas with abundant moisture and hot temperatures are suitable for large-scale production of the fruit. However, it appears the country is not paying much attention to the fruit’s huge potential for economic growth. In 2014 and 2015, through an an EDAIF facilitated arrangement, hundreds of farmers also applied and signed onto the establishment of thousands of acres of mango farms

nationwide. Exim Bank reportedly became the financier of the project under agreed terms and conditions also acceptable to all parties concerned. Exim Bank was to reimburse the farmers yearly of specified and agreed self-financed expenses and expenditure on their farms through laid down processes. Reports indicate that it was this incentive that motivated the farmers to sign

onto the programme. Unfortunately, the farmers in the five regions of the north, say for the past four 4 years, Exim Bank has reneged on its obligation to the majority of the farmers with no engagement or communication. They said the bank only made a 50% payment last year and deferred the balance to December 2020, but has since been failed to pay the rest. They alleged that Exim

Bank has shut them out out of their reach, leaving their farms to perish. The situation, the farmers say, has led to the drying up of some of the mango plants whereas input suppliers are chasing them for monies they owe. Yakubu Abukari, the Organizer of the Northern Mango Farmers Association of Ghana said the situation needs a very urgent attention. We don’t understand what is

happening, some of the plants are drying up because we can’t afford to water them. Every day, we have to go and source funding from other people to invest in these farms, input suppliers are also chasing us, some of our members were arrested by the police and our leaders have to go and bail them. They are all also appealing to the government to intervene and ensure that the bank

pays them all outstanding monies within two weeks. We are are appealing to the government to intervene. We are givng them two weeks to ensure we are paid or the the whole country will hear from us. It’s not just the five northern regions, it’s a nationwide problem and so they shouldn’t think we are few, Mr. Hamza Awudu Secretary of the Association also threatened. They also want the

authorities to also investigate the activities of the bank under the project. The treasurer of the association, Siibu Abdu Kareem said we want the President, Parliament or any authority who has oversight over the Exim bank to investigate them and when they are are doing that they should also talk to all of us the farmers.