The Chief Executive Officer of the Ghana Cocoa Board, Joseph Boahen Aidoo, has reported to Parliament’s Public Accounts Committee that the company lost over 150,000 metric tonnes of cocoa beans to smuggling in 2023.
He also mentioned that cocoa production has declined due to the activities of illegal miners (galamsey) and disease attacks. COCOBOD is working with national security and other stakeholders, as well as farm rehabilitation programs, to address the challenges.
However, the minority members of the Public Accounts Committee have called for the immediate resignation of the CEO of COCOBOD, Joseph Boahen Aidoo, over what they describe as his inability to find solutions to the current challenges facing the institution.
Ibrahim Murtala Muhammed, Member of Parliament for Tamale Central, expressed doubt as to why officials, including President Akufo-Addo and the COCOBOD CEO remain in office. He questioned the decline in the quality of cocoa production and sharply disagreed with attributing the decline to galamsey. He emphasized the need for finding solutions to the problems rather than blaming others.
The concerns were raised during a meeting where it was discussed that smuggling and galamsey have severely impacted cocoa production and quality. The call for accountability and effective solutions underscores the importance of addressing these challenges to protect the cocoa industry in Ghana.
