The Chief Executive Officer of the Ghana Cocoa Board (COCOBOD), Randy Abbey, has strongly criticized Minority Members of Parliament and Dennis Miracles Aboagye of the New Patriotic Party (NPP) for conducting televised interviews with cocoa farmers, describing the exercise as “senseless” and “misleading.”
Speaking during a meeting with the Ghana Journalists Association (GJA) on Thursday, February 12, Mr. Abbey questioned the motives behind the MPs’ recent tour of cocoa-growing communities.
He argued that there was no logic in the lawmakers actions for bringing cameras into the communities to interview farmers regarding pricing, as farmers do not determine the international or producer price of cocoa.
”There was no sense in the lawmakers’ decision to send camera crews into cocoa-growing communities to interview farmers,”
he stated.
He contended that such actions do not solve the genuine challenges faced by farmers but instead foster unnecessary confusion within the sector.
On International Market Volatility
Mr. Abbey dismissed allegations that his public commentary had triggered a decline in cocoa prices on the international market.
Addressing the critics, he asked: “When the price dropped from approximately $7,200 to $4,200, was that based on a statement I made? was it based on an interview I granted?”.
He attributed the price fluctuations to negative narratives already circulating in the global market, including viral videos of farmers complaining about unpaid produce and unsold stock, which he claims damage the industry’s reputation.
Focus on Accountability
The CEO emphasized that true accountability stems from official government action rather than “political publicity stunts.”
He highlighted that the Cabinet has already taken decisive steps by directing the Attorney-General to commence forensic audits and criminal investigations into specific operations within the cocoa sector.
