COCOBOD failures driving cocoa decline – Kosi Dedey

Policy analyst Kosi Dedey is calling for a shift away from partisan politics in tackling the deep-rooted inefficiencies within the Ghana Cocoa Board (COCOBOD), which he says are a major factor behind the ongoing decline in cocoa production.

Speaking on Wednesday, August 6, 2025, Dedey stressed that COCOBOD has strayed from its original mandate to coordinate and protect the interests of cocoa farmers.

According to him, the institution’s declining effectiveness is a national issue that requires urgent and unified attention.

“COCOBOD was created to serve a specific purpose to manage the affairs of cocoa farmers and ensure Ghana gets value for money,” he said.

“This is not a political issue. It’s about the national interest and how we restore efficiency at COCOBOD, which is clearly failing in its responsibilities.”

Dedey emphasised the need for an objective, non-partisan approach to reforming the institution.

He warned that continued political finger-pointing between the National Democratic Congress (NDC) and the New Patriotic Party (NPP) will only hinder progress and deepen the crisis.

“This should not be reduced to NDC versus NPP. We need to examine COCOBOD dispassionately and focus on how to improve its performance. That’s the only way forward,” he said.

His comments come at a critical time, as Ghana faces a sharp decline in cocoa production, a worrying trend for a sector that remains one of the country’s top foreign exchange earners.

Although the government recently announced a significant increase in the producer price of cocoa to US$5,040 per tonne for the 2025/2026 season, a 62.58% hike.

Experts, including Dedey, caution that higher prices alone will not address the structural problems within COCOBOD.