President John Mahama has criticized the previous administration’s handling of Ghana’s cocoa sector, attributing the decline in production to mismanagement and poor decision-making.
Mahama expressed concern that despite a drop in cocoa production, employment at COCOBOD increased, which he described as counterproductive.
“Production has declined, yet COCOBOD’s staff numbers have increased, which is counterproductive. In business, when production and revenue decrease, workforce adjustments are made.
However, under the previous administration, employment at COCOBOD increased while production dwindled,” he stated during a courtesy call from the Ghana Cocoa, Coffee, and Sheanut Farmers Association.
Mahama pointed out that in the first four years of the past administration, producer prices for cocoa remained stagnant despite currency depreciation, further worsening the situation for farmers.
He assured stakeholders that his government is committed to reversing this trend by making strategic corrections to restore the cocoa industry to its former strength.
“This year will be a year of correction to address these issues and restore the industry to a strong footing,” he assured.
He also highlighted COCOBOD’s current debt, which stands at GH₵3.2 billion, noting that GH₵9 million must be paid by September.
According to Mahama, this financial burden has prevented funds from reaching cocoa farmers, as much of the money is now being used to service debts instead of supporting production.
