Business News of 2026-08-28

CFF-Ghana hails CMC's 24-hour operations as cocoa game changer

The Community Focus Foundation Ghana (CFF-Ghana) has described the Cocoa Marketing Company (CMC) Limited’s introduction of a comprehensive 24-hour operational model as a major step towards transforming Ghana’s cocoa value chain and strengthening the country’s competitiveness on the international market.

The model, built around three strategic pillars — Offload 24, Load 24 and Export 24 — is expected to improve the movement of cocoa from warehouses to processing facilities, ports and international markets while supporting the government’s 24-Hour Economy and Accelerated Export Development agenda.

In a statement issued on Thursday, August 27, 2026, the Executive Director of CFF-Ghana, Richard Kasu, said the initiative represented one of the most significant operational reforms introduced into Ghana’s cocoa value chain in recent years.

He said Ghana, as a major cocoa-producing country, could no longer afford to operate systems based solely on conventional working hours while international markets, shipping networks and logistics operations continued around the clock.

According to him, the decision by CMC to extend its operations beyond the traditional working day would help address some of the bottlenecks affecting the efficient handling and export of cocoa.

“Cocoa undoubtedly is an international commodity traded across different time zones, and Ghana cannot continue to operate with systems that close while global markets and logistics networks remain active,” the statement said.

CFF-Ghana said the new model could accelerate cocoa exports by improving shipment scheduling and reducing delays in the handling and movement of cocoa. It could also provide more reliable supplies to domestic processing companies, helping them operate efficiently and contribute to increased value addition within Ghana.

The organisation further noted that the shift-based system could improve the utilisation of warehouses, equipment and other assets while creating additional employment opportunities across the cocoa logistics and value chain.

It said the initiative should not be viewed merely as an administrative adjustment but as a fundamental change in how Ghana organises its cocoa economy to meet the demands of modern international trade.

CFF-Ghana therefore commended the Managing Director of CMC, Dr Wisdom Kofi Dogbey, the Board, management and staff of the company, as well as the leadership of the Ghana Cocoa Board (COCOBOD) and other stakeholders involved in the initiative.

Kasu said increasing cocoa production alone would not guarantee the long-term success of the sector, stressing the need to improve the efficiency of storing, transporting, processing, marketing and exporting the commodity.

The Foundation also called on Licensed Buying Companies, cocoa processors, transport operators, shipping lines, the Ghana Ports and Harbours Authority, security agencies, regulatory institutions and workers to support the implementation of the 24-hour framework.

It said the initiative could only achieve its full potential if all actors within the cocoa value chain coordinated their operations to ensure the seamless movement of cocoa from producers and warehouses to factories, ports and international markets.

CFF-Ghana further urged CMC to establish clear performance indicators and regularly publish progress reports on turnaround times, volumes handled, export efficiency, safety and service delivery.

It said transparent monitoring would help determine whether the new model was delivering the expected improvements and ensure that the reform translated into measurable benefits for Ghana’s cocoa industry.