LUXURY FOR COCOBOD, POVERTY FOR FARMERS. WHERE IS THE JUSTICE?
The recent utterances by the Chief Executive Officer of COCOBOD in response to the calls for fair cocoa pricing are not only misleading but also a calculated attempt to shortchange our hardworking cocoa farmers under the guise of accumulated debt. We urge all cocoa farmers and well-meaning Ghanaians to ignore this propaganda and demand what is rightfully theirs.
During his vetting, the Minister for Agriculture, under whose authority COCOBOD falls, publicly reaffirmed the government’s commitment to allocate 70% of the Free-On-Board (FOB) value to cocoa farmers. This pledge was boldly made in opposition and repeated during his vetting. To now suggest that this commitment cannot be fulfilled because of existing COCOBOD debt is not only a betrayal of trust but also a lazy excuse unworthy of a government that claims to care for farmers.
The recent tour by the COCOBOD Chief Executive to the Western North Region further exposes the hypocrisy behind their debt narrative. Arriving with a convoy of over 19 luxury Land Cruisers, this extravagant display of opulence sharply contrasts with the supposed “financial distress” being claimed. Not even the President of the Republic travels with such a fleet. If COCOBOD is truly broke, how can it afford such a lavish operational cost? This alone betrays the truth, COCOBOD is not collapsed; it is only being used as a tool to justify denying farmers their due.
The question is simple: Are cocoa farmers being punished for COCOBOD’s mismanagement while top officials continue to enjoy luxuries at their expense?
We must remind Dr. Randy Abbey and the leadership of COCOBOD that Ghana as a nation is in debt, yet the government has managed to increase its compensation budget from GH¢350 million in 2024 to GH¢2.7 billion. This clearly proves that debt has not stopped the government from increasing its own expenditure so why is this same logic not being extended to cocoa farmers, who are the backbone of our economy?
Let us present a clear example of the declining purchasing power of the cocoa farmer under this administration:
December 2024:
-Cocoa Price: GH¢3,100
-Cement Price: GH¢85
-Bags of Cement cocoa could buy: 36
April 2025:
-Cocoa Price: GH¢3,100 (No increase)
-Cement Price: GH¢120
-Bags of Cement cocoa can now buy: 25
This drastic drop in real value within just four months paints a grim picture of how government negligence is impoverishing cocoa farmers. The value of their hard work is shrinking daily, while those in charge offer nothing but excuses.
We call on the government and COCOBOD to end the propaganda, honour the 70% FOB promise, and deliver economic justice to our cocoa farmers. Their sweat should not feed the lavish lifestyles of bureaucrats. Enough is enough.
*The writer, Addo Yaw Harry, is the Regional Communications Officer of the New Patriotic Party (NPP) in the Western North Region.
