A heated debate has erupted online over the historical management of the cocoa sector, with Franklin Cudjoe, the President of IMANI Africa and a well-known policy commentator, accused of misrepresenting facts about the Ghana Cocoa Board (COCOBOD) and the roles of successive governments.
The controversy began when Martin Kpebu, a legal practitioner, alleged that the previous New Patriotic Party (NPP) administration turned COCOBOD into a “road construction company,” using farmers’ funds, amounting to GH¢26 billion, to award road contracts to cronies.
The claim suggested that NPP mismanaged cocoa revenue and harmed farmers’ livelihoods in pursuit of political patronage.
Dennis Miracles Aboagye, an aide to former Vice President Dr. Mahamudu Bawumia, fired back strongly, describing the claims as false.
He clarified that the program often referred to as “Cocoa Roads” was introduced in 2015 under the administration of the National Democratic Congress (NDC) and not the NPP.
According to Dennis Aboagye, the NDC “recklessly turned a cocoa marketing institution into a road sector,” diverting funds intended for purchasing cocoa beans into construction projects.
Historical records confirm that in 2016, the NDC contracted a syndicated loan of $1.8 billion to secure cocoa supplies for the 2016/2017 season.
However, only a portion of the funds was used for cocoa purchases. Aboagye pointed out that within three weeks after losing the December 2016 elections, the NDC disbursed $400 million to road contractors without acquiring the cocoa, leaving COCOBOD with a significant shortfall.
By the end of its term, the NDC reportedly left a debt of GH¢19 billion ($4billion), creating substantial financial pressure on the cocoa sector and its regulatory institutions.
In contrast, the NPP administration, according to Aboagye, had to borrow from the Bank of Ghana to purchase cocoa and stabilize the market, all while maintaining the producer price at GH¢3,100 per bag, thereby protecting farmers from any price cuts.
He further urged Franklin Cudjoe to focus on constructive contributions for cocoa farmers rather than “gaslighting” the public with misleading claims about the NPP’s handling of the sector.
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