Eric Opoku criticizes Akufo-Addo's failure to maintain cocoa sector gains

The Minority’s spokesperson on Food and Agriculture, Eric Opoku, says the cocoa sector under the ruling New Patriotic Party (NPP) has been mismanaged.

Opoku stated that the government’s ineffectiveness in implementing cocoa policies has affected the livelihoods of cocoa farmers in the country.

The lawmaker indicated that annual production has consistently reduced over the years, diminishing the livelihood of cocoa farmers.

Opoku, a legislator for Asunafo South Constituency, criticized the government’s failure to build on the success of cocoa production under former President John Mahama.

The MP said, “In 2016, former President John Mahama recorded 969,000 tonnes, but the sad news I have for you is that in 2024, the cocoa this government managed to achieve was 450,000 tonnes.

"In 2013, 2014, 2015, and 2016, COCOBOD made significant profits with the purchases of cocoa under Mahama. But since President Akufo-Addo and Vice President Dr. Mahamudu Bawumia took over, COCOBOD has made losses from 2017 to 2024.

"They have peddled the lie that COCOBOD made gains in 2023, but that is totally false. As we speak, for the first time in our history, COCOBOD has taken loans from local banks to the tune of $13 billion, and yet they have told us they are unable to pay.

"The majority of the money they generate goes into administrative spending, and only peanuts are given to the farmers."

He continued, "In 2021, they claimed Ghana recorded 1.45 million metric tonnes of cocoa, and the money they spent on administrative work was GH₵1.7 billion.

"In 2022, the cocoa we got was reduced to 683,000 tonnes, but the administrative expenditure in COCOBOD increased from GH₵1.7 billion in 2021 to GH₵2.6 billion in 2022. In 2023, what happened in Ghana was unfortunate and sad. We only managed to secure 655,000 metric tonnes of cocoa, but the office expenditure was GH₵3.4 billion. So the money is basically spent on administrative activities when farmers are struggling,” he said at the manifesto launch on Saturday, August 24, 2024.

He went on to state that for the past seven years, the government has not paid bonuses to cocoa farmers, and yet, those who work at COCOBOD and caused the mess in the sector have received their bonuses for the seven years.

The MP advised the government to prioritize the welfare of cocoa farmers by increasing farm-gate prices and implementing measures to curb smuggling.

“The Ghanaian cocoa industry needs to be revitalized by addressing systemic issues like mismanagement and corruption within COCOBOD,” he declared.