COCOBOD seeks regional security support to fight cocoa smuggling

The Board Chairman of the Ghana Cocoa Board (COCOBOD), Samuel Ofosu Ampofo, has called for deeper collaboration between COCOBOD and Regional Security Councils to address the escalating smuggling of cocoa beans and farm inputs across Ghana’s borders.

Speaking during a meeting with the Western Regional Minister in Sekondi as part of a three-day working tour, Ampofo described smuggling as a growing national challenge that continues to undermine the country’s cocoa sector.

He warned that the problem has evolved beyond the illegal trade in cocoa beans to include the diversion of free farm inputs and essential resources supplied to farmers.

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He noted that COCOBOD had distributed agricultural inputs valued at US$5.8 million to farmers this year alone and expressed concern that such investments were at risk when farmers diverted inputs or sold their produce through illegal channels.

Ampofo further highlighted that weak coordination between COCOBOD and regional authorities was hampering monitoring and enforcement efforts. In some cases, he said, regional ministers were not adequately familiar with COCOBOD’s regional structures, limiting collaboration on anti-smuggling operations.

According to him, stronger partnerships would enhance the ability of security agencies to understand smuggling networks, track input distribution, and implement more effective monitoring systems across cocoa-growing regions.

Meanwhile, the Deputy Chief Executive Officer in charge of Operations at COCOBOD, Dr James Kofi Kutsoati, revealed ongoing reforms aimed at restructuring the cocoa input distribution system.

He said the new framework would transform cooperative groups into a taskforce model to improve disease and pest control on farms.

SP/MA