By Daniel Bampoe
The cocoa industry, the lifeblood of millions of farmers and a major contributor to the nation’s foreign exchange earnings, is facing unprecedented challenges under the current National Democratic Congress (NDC) administration.
Key figures from the New Patriotic Party (NPP), including former COCOBOD Spokesman Fiifi Boafo, Dennis Miracles Aboagye, Spokesman for Dr Mahamudu Bawumia and former COCOBOD chief executive officer’s son and commodity trader, Michael Kwasi Aidoo, have sounded the alarm over what they describe as systemic mismanagement, delayed payments to farmers, and a looming threat to the sustainability of the cocoa economy.
They said the current challenges facing COCOBOD are nothing but mismanagement saying that the leadership of the company is not cut out for the job.
The minority in Parliament is also calling for the dismissal of the Chief Executive of the company, Randy Abbey.
Farmers Left In Limbo
Dennis Miracles Aboagye has been at the forefront of criticism, drawing attention to the plight of farmers who have not received payment for cocoa delivered since November 2025.
In a recent statement, Aboagye described the situation as a “crime against humanity,” noting that unpaid farmers face not only financial hardship but also disruptions in their ability to maintain their farms.
“Labourers remain unpaid, inputs for treating cocoa trees are pending, and the local economy in cocoa-growing communities is under severe strain,” he said.
Aboagye warned that without urgent government intervention, some farmers might be forced to abandon cocoa cultivation or sell their farms to illegal miners.
Calls For Market Development
Former COCOBOD Head of Public Affairs, Fiifi Boafo, has also criticized the administration’s handling of the sector, particularly the recent reduction in the cocoa producer price.
Speaking on Channel One TV’s Big Issue, Fifi Boafo called the move “cruelty against cocoa farmers” and criticized the government for poor communication surrounding the price adjustment.
Boafo further argued that the solution to the cocoa challenges lies in stimulating domestic demand for cocoa products.
“It is important to promote chocolate consumption locally because if you process cocoa but it is not consumed, what is the point of processing?” he said.
He stressed that chocolate is often regarded as a luxury item primarily for foreigners, limiting its local market and undermining the value of Ghana’s cocoa processing efforts.
Fifi Boafo called for educational campaigns to encourage early consumption among children to cultivate a sustainable domestic market.
Management Failures At COCOBOD
Michael Kwasi Aidoo who is the current MP for Oforikrom in Kumasi has focused his criticism on operational and strategic failures at COCOBOD under the leadership of acting CEO Randy Abbey
During televised debates on Metro TV and JoyNews’ Newsfile, Michael Aidoo highlighted several areas of concern:
Forward Sales Mismanagement: Aidoo accused the current management of halting forward sales of 2026 cocoa in anticipation of higher spot prices. The strategy backfired when global cocoa prices fell sharply, leaving COCOBOD with unsold stock and insufficient funds to pay farmers.
Financial and Trade Decisions: He argued that miscalculations and poor understanding of the previous administration’s financing model caused the current liquidity crisis, creating a situation where the board cannot buy new beans or meet farmer payments.
Leadership and Oversight: Aidoo questioned the qualifications of Randy Abbey, suggesting that his sports administration background is insufficient for managing a strategic national commodity.
He also alleged that Abbey misled officials in the Finance Ministry, further complicating the sector’s challenges.
The Oforikrom MP emphasized that the crisis is not due to inherited liabilities but the administration’s failure to execute proven strategies.
“During our tenure, we met liabilities, executed forward sales, and ensured farmers were paid on time, even under financial constraints,” he said.
The Way Forward
The NPP advocates are unanimous in calling for urgent corrective action. They argue that the government must either inject funds to bridge the gap between market prices and the current farmgate rate, avoid artificial currency manipulation that limits purchasing power, or immediately adjust policy to resume forward sales.
They warn that delays in payment and mismanagement threaten Ghana’s global position as a leading cocoa producer and endanger the livelihoods of millions of farmers.
The cocoa sector, they insist, is more than a commodity—it is a lifeline for communities and an engine of national economic growth. Without swift action, the consequences could ripple across the economy, affecting not juschain.4ers but laborers, suppliers, and the entire value chain.
