Govt. to discipline cheating purchasing clerks

The government on Monday expressed concern about the illegal practice of adjusting weighing scales to cheat cocoa farmers and warned that any person or Licensed Buying Company (LBC) caught indulging in these acts would be dealt with according to the law.

A statement signed by the Minister of Finance, Mr Yaw Osafo-Maafo, Minister of Finance, said in addition to any sanctions imposed by law, COCOBOD had the right to withdraw the licence of any LBC whose staff or agent was caught indulging in this malpractice.

The Minister said the government had noted that purchasing clerks of some LBCs had resorted to "the unhealthy and illegal practice" of adjusting weighing scales to cheat cocoa farmers. Others have also abused the use of the Akuafo cheque system while others still resorted to the use of hanging scales.

The Minister said these illegal practices had given rise to the pilfering of cocoa beans. "At a time government is putting in measures to improve the income of cocoa farmers and increase the contribution of the industry to the economy, government will not countenance such acts of misdemeanour and will bring to book offending purchasing clerks and PBCs involved in such illegal acts." The minister said.

Mr Osafo-Maafo reminded LBCs and their purchasing clerks that the bagging weight of cocoa to be purchased from the farmer was 64 kilos gross. Mr Osafo-Maafo urged farmers to report offending purchasing clerks and LBCs to the Ghana Cocoa Board (COCOBOD). They should do this through the DCE, District Quality Control Officer and the Police.

The Minister reminded LBCs to provide their accredited purchasing clerks with photo identity cards bearing their names and locations to make for easy identification. Mr Osafo-Maafo said an exercise was to be undertaken by the Ghana Standards Board to check and certify all weighing scales and COCOBOD had been directed to work out the details of its implementation with the Ghana Standards Board.