Alarm blows over Boahen Aidoo-led COCOBOD's rush to pay over US$13m to fertiliser supplier

The Boahen Aidoo-led COCOBOD is on a collision course with the Transition Team of the President-elect as management flagrantly disregards the latter’s directive to Ministries, Departments, and Agencies to suspend all last-minute recruitments and payments.

COCOBOD’s management has also deliberately refused a request by the Mahama Transition Team for last-minute recruitments, payments, and other actions to be cleared with the Joint Transition Team.

Already, a number of employees who are loyalists of the current New Patriotic Party government have been promoted above more qualified staff and appointed to take up key managerial positions at COCOBOD.

Worse still, a document intercepted by Classonline.com has exposed collaborative activities by the Chief Executive of COCOBOD, Joseph Boahen Aidoo, Deputy Chief Executive in charge of Finance & Administration, Mr. E. Ray Ankrah, and Director of Finance, Mr. Peter Osei-Amoako, involving the payment of USD 13,125,000 to Awo Henewah Limited.

The company was expected to supply COCOBOD with 250,000 50kg bags of Asaase Hene Fertilizer at a unit cost of USD 52.50 per bag.

“We herewith forward our invoice for payment of an amount of USD 13,125,000, being the value of the fully supplied granular fertilizer, to Ghana Cocoa Board. We shall be grateful if payment would be effected as early as possible,” a letter from the General Manager of Awo Henewah Limited, Joseph Ackon, to COCOBOD demanding payment read in part.

The letter, dated December 9, 2024, on the subject “Request for payment for the supply of granular fertilizer – 2023/2024,” was received at COCOBOD on December 11, 2024. It also included an invoice for the transaction dated December 9, 2024.

The letter addressed to the newly promoted Director of Procurement, Mr. Stephen Badu, made reference to a notification of award signed on July 5, 2024.

Coincidentally, the newly promoted Director of Procurement took office on December 9, the same day the company’s letter was written.

Mr. Stephen Badu minuted on the letter to the Deputy Procurement Manager, Mr. Seth Naggai Tetteh, who in turn minuted it to Principal Procurement Officer, Mr. Maxwell Peter Arthur, asking the respective officials to process the letter for payment.

An insider told Classonline.com that the Boahen Aidoo-led management was rushing through with this particular payment of over 13 million US dollars to Awo Henewah Ltd.

We are reliably informed that this payment was brought to the attention of the Audit department on Tuesday, December 17, 2024, with management exerting intense pressure to ensure that this particular company is paid as soon as possible.

Not only does this payment fly in the face of the directive by the Mahama Transition Team, but the move has also angered a number of suppliers who have duly supplied chemicals and other products to COCOBOD and its subsidiaries but have not been paid for the past two years.

Meanwhile, in a statement signed by Mr. Felix Kwakye Ofosu, Spokesperson of the Mahama Transition Team, it was warned that such payments and actions by public officials would be reversed by the incoming administration.

“The Transition Team of the President-elect wishes to state emphatically that given the bad faith displayed by the government, all these payments, recruitments, transfers, and promotions, some of which have been backdated, will be reversed and, where necessary, public officials responsible for them held to strict account when a formal transfer of power takes place.”