The Minority in Ghana’s Parliament has urged President John Mahama to dismiss the Chief Executive Officer of the Ghana Cocoa Board (COCOBOD), Dr. Randy Abbey, amid mounting concerns over the recent reduction in the producer price of cocoa.
According to the Minority, the decision to slash the producer price of cocoa by an estimated 28.6% will have dire consequences for farmers and their families across the country. They warn that the reduction threatens the livelihoods of more than one million cocoa farmers nationwide, pushing already vulnerable communities further into hardship.
Minority calls for COCOBOD CEO Randy Abbey’s removal after 28.6% cocoa price cut threatens farmers’ livelihoods.
Speaking to journalists on Thursday, February 12, Ranking Member on Parliament’s Economy and Development Committee, Kojo Oppong Nkrumah, delivered a scathing critique of the government’s handling of the cocoa sector. He argued that the decision not only undermines the earnings of farmers but could also impact cocoa production levels and Ghana’s competitiveness in the global cocoa market.
Oppong Nkrumah stressed that cocoa is one of Ghana’s most important cash crops and a critical source of foreign exchange, and any policy that erodes farmer incomes must be revisited. “We believe firmly that those at the helm of COCOBOD must be held accountable,” he stated, reinforcing the Minority’s call for Dr. Randy Abbey’s removal.
The call has sparked widespread debate among stakeholders in the agricultural sector, with farmer groups and civil society organisations expressing solidarity with the Minority’s concerns and urging the government to reconsider the cut or implement measures to cushion the impact on farmers.
Dr. Randy Abbey has yet to publicly respond to the mounting criticism, and it remains unclear how the government will address the growing tension within the cocoa sector.
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