NEW 11-MEMBER COCOBOD BOARD INAUGURATED WITH MANDATE TO REVIVE GHANA’S COCOA SECTOR
Dr. Samuel Ofosu Ampofo appointed Chair; board tasked with restoring cocoa production to former glory.
An eleven-member Board of Directors for the Ghana Cocoa Board (COCOBOD) has been officially inaugurated in a ceremony held at the Ministry of Finance, signaling a fresh start for the country’s ailing cocoa industry.
The new board is chaired by Dr. Samuel Ofosu Ampofo and includes influential figures such as Finance Minister Dr. Cassiel Ato Forson, Bank of Ghana Governor Dr. Johnson Asiama, CEO Randy Abbey, Deputy Ministers Samson Ahi and John Dumelo, among others.
Minister of Energy John Jinapor, who chaired the inauguration, expressed grave concern over COCOBOD’s recent decline, noting that cocoa production had fallen from a peak of 1 million metric tonnes to approximately 500,000 metric tonnes.
However, Jinapor expressed confidence that the new board’s expertise and integrity would help restore the sector’s prominence.
Finance Minister Dr. Forson, a returning board member, described cocoa as the “jewel of the economy” and lamented past mismanagement. He outlined government plans to acquire about 200 hectares for new plantation farms aimed at boosting production back to 1 million metric tonnes. He also tasked the board with addressing the problem of diseased cocoa farms, particularly in the Western Region.
Dr. Ofosu Ampofo pledged to “reset, retool, and re-imagine” COCOBOD, urging political leaders to lead by example in promoting farming to inspire Ghanaian youth.
The government’s renewed focus on cocoa comes amid calls for revitalizing the sector, which remains a critical pillar of Ghana’s economy.
Source:NKONKONSA.com
