Story: News Desk

The Minority in Parliament has  demanded  the immediate resignation of the Chief Executive Officer of the Ghana Cocoa Board (COCOBOD), Joseph Boahen Aidoo.

The Minority said  Aidoo has mismanaged the cocoa sector and has worsened the plight of cocoa farmers. They argued  that he is no longer fit to occupy the position of CEO.

Speaking to journalists in the Ashanti Region, Minority Leader Dr. Cassiel Ato Forson said the cocoa sector was  collapsing despite an announcement of a 68 percent increase in the producer price.

“Clearly, something is amiss at COCOBOD because we are seeing the production of cocoa coming down to the lowest in the last fifteen years and we have also seen them recording massive losses since 2017. Last year, according to their own audit report, we declared a loss of GH¢2.4 billion in one year and so I don’t see why the CEO should be in office despite these happenings.”

The Minority accused Aidoo of incompetence and corruption. They said he had  failed to implement the necessary reforms to improve the cocoa sector.

The Minority  also accused the government of short-changing cocoa farmers by increasing the price of a bag of cocoa to GHC1,300.

According to the Minority caucus, cocoa farmers should have been given at least GHC2,500 per bag.

Speaking to the media, the Deputy Ranking Member on the Food, Agriculture and Cocoa Affairs Committee of Parliament, Eric Opoku, slammed the government for giving cocoa farmers “peanuts”.

He expressed worry over the price given to cocoa farmers, stressing that this season is a good year for cocoa farmers to benefit from their produce.