The flagbearer of the National Democratic Congress (NDC), John Dramani Mahama, has declared his intention to initiate significant reforms at Ghana COCOBOD if elected President of Ghana in January 2025.
During a community engagement at Kwakuanya in Dormaa West, as part of his campaign tour in the Bono region, Mahama criticized the current government’s handling of the cocoa industry. He attributed the decline in production and the suspension of cocoa road contracts in cocoa-growing areas to poor management.
He emphasized the need for competent leadership to restore COCOBOD’s former status, accusing the ruling government of failing to implement effective programs to revitalize the sector. Speaking to farmers, Mahama stated, “Before leaving government in 2016, the cocoa sector harvested 967,000 metric tons of cocoa. We nearly hit 1 million tons. However, today, we are struggling to harvest 440,000 tons.”
The former president also accused the government of mismanaging advance credit from COCOBOD’s international partners, who had paid for cocoa beans that Ghana is now unable to supply. He warned that this failure has created a debt burden that the next administration would need to address, explaining, “COCOBOD has promised to supply these beans next year, but if we win the election, we will need to find about 300,000 metric tons to settle this shortfall.”
Mahama assured farmers that the NDC has the necessary expertise to revive Ghana’s cocoa sector and increase foreign exchange earnings. He promised a major shakeup at COCOBOD, saying, “We all know that the NDC has the men to bring the cocoa sector back to its former glory. When we return to government, there will be a major shakeup at COCOBOD.”
He concluded by warning that those responsible for the sector’s decline would be held accountable, and new leaders would be appointed to oversee transformative programs.
” all those who are responsible for the failure of the cocoa sector at cocobod will be show the exit route when found culpable for the right people to take over the fairs of the sector for new transformational programmes to be initiated”.
Source: www.kumasimai.com
