The Ghana Cocoa Board (Cocobod) has inaugurated three key committees in a renewed effort to strengthen accountability, improve financial discipline, and promote long-term sustainability within the country’s cocoa sector.

The initiative aligns with the Government’s Reset Agenda, as Cocobod seeks to reposition the cocoa industry for growth under President John Dramani Mahama’s administration.

During the inauguration ceremony at the Cocobod Headquarters in Accra, Chairman Dr Samuel Ofosu-Ampofo said the committees would drive critical reforms to safeguard Ghana’s global leadership in high-quality cocoa and restore stakeholder confidence.

He explained that the Finance Committee, chaired by Deputy Minister of Finance Thomas Ampem Nyarko, would address the organisation’s financial concerns, including its debt burden of approximately GH₵32 billion.

He stressed the urgency of ensuring prudent management of funds, especially in implementing productivity enhancement programmes that directly impact farmers’ livelihoods.

The Cocoa Tertiary Education Trust and Scholarship Committee, chaired by Dr Johnson Asiama, former Second Deputy Governor of the Bank of Ghana, will oversee a new fund to support tertiary education and technical training for children of cocoa farmers and industry workers.

Dr Ofosu-Ampofo said the initiative has been designed to equip young people with the skills needed to sustain and transform the cocoa value chain, ensuring the industry remains attractive to future generations.

The Cocoa Sector Marketing Committee (COSMARC), chaired by Sampson Ahi, Member of Parliament for Bodi, will focus on improving fairness across the cocoa marketing system. 

It will review the performance of Licensed Buying Companies, address smuggling concerns, and recommend policies that protect farmers and maintain Ghana’s global market reputation.

He noted that tackling market irregularities is essential to maintaining integrity and ensuring farmers benefit fairly from their produce.

Cocobod Chief Executive Dr Randy Abbey praised the formation of the committees, describing the move as a key milestone in the organisation’s efforts to build a more inclusive, climate-resilient cocoa economy that supports youth employment and sustainable farming.

He reaffirmed Cocobod’s commitment to enabling the committees to work effectively and collaboratively.

Source: Access Agric