The Offinso MP, Dr Isaac Opoku, has called on the management of the Ghana Cocoa Board (COCOBOD) to be open and honest with cocoa farmers and the general public about the difficulties confronting the cocoa sector.
He argued that the current challenges facing the industry require clear explanations rather than what he described as vague narratives, stressing that cocoa farmers deserve to understand the true state of affairs affecting their livelihoods.
According to him, transparency is critical at a time when confidence in the sector is under strain.
Dr Opoku maintained that the situation could have been significantly worse if not for steps taken by the previous administration to trade cocoa forward, a decision he said helped cushion the sector against current shocks.
He also attributed COCOBOD’s financial and operational difficulties largely to the prevailing exchange rate environment, which he believes falls under the current administration’s responsibility.
Speaking on Channel One TV on Monday, February 9, Dr Opoku said COCOBOD must stop “beating about the bush” and tell farmers “what the real problem is,” adding that the sector benefited from forward sales made by the previous government.
He questioned attempts to deflect blame, noting that cocoa farmers were paid under exchange rates determined by the current government between January and October, making it difficult to shift responsibility elsewhere.
Addressing concerns about cocoa contract rollovers, the Offinso MP dismissed suggestions that the practice is unusual, explaining that it is standard across the global cocoa industry.
He cited production risks such as weather conditions, bushfires, and smuggling, noting that the Nana Akufo-Addo-led government inherited over 190,000 tonnes of rolled-over contracts in 2017, while Côte d’Ivoire rolled over about 500,000 metric tonnes in 2024, and stressed that such occurrences are part of normal industry practice.
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Source: www.myjoyonline.com
