By Grace Zigah
Ato Boateng, the Deputy Chief Executive in charge of Finance and Administration at the Ghana Cocoa Board (COCOBOD), has firmly denied allegations of conflict of interest surrounding his appointment, describing attempts to block his confirmation as unfounded, speculative and politically motivated.
In a strongly worded rebuttal issued through his media advisor, Ato Boateng dismissed claims contained in a petition submitted to the COCOBOD Governing Board as “baseless” and lacking any credible legal or factual foundation.
The petition, filed by Vincent Ekow Assafuah, Member of Parliament for Old Tafo, sought to halt Boateng’s confirmation and demanded that he step aside from office, citing his former role as Chief Executive Officer of Atlas Commodities Limited.
The petition alleged that his previous private sector role created a conflict of interest and raised concerns about possible influence over cocoa-related operations and regulatory decisions within COCOBOD.
It further invoked Article 284 of the 1992 Constitution, which governs the conduct of public officers in relation to conflicts of interest.
Responding to these accusations, Boateng categorically denied having any current ownership, shares, executive authority, or financial interest in Atlas Commodities Limited.
The rebuttal states that there is no evidence that he exercises control over the company, benefits from its operations, or has used his public position to influence decisions in its favour.
It further stresses that no COCOBOD policy decisions, contracts, or regulatory actions have been identified that link his official role to any advantage for his former employer, describing the allegations as “assumptions without proof.”
On the constitutional argument, Boateng’s response rejects the interpretation of Article 284 relied upon by the petitioner, stating that a conflict of interest must be “real, present and personal,” not merely based on historical professional relationships.
The rebuttal argues that past employment in a regulated sector does not constitute a constitutional breach and warns that criminalising professional experience would deprive public institutions of qualified expertise.
It adds that competence gained in the private sector should not be transformed into a disqualifying factor for public service.
Boateng also denied claims that he attempted to interfere with records at the Registrar General’s Department, describing such allegations as a distortion of facts and legally illogical.
According to him, he holds no authority at the Registrar General’s Department and therefore cannot abuse power within an institution outside COCOBOD’s administrative control.
Framing the petition as an attempt to derail a lawful appointment, he insists that no current regulatory, financial, or constitutional breaches have been demonstrated.
Boateng maintains that the campaign against his confirmation is driven by conjecture rather than evidence and urges the COCOBOD Governing Board and the public to uphold due process, fairness and legality.
