By: Henrietta Afful
An eleven-member Board of Directors for the Ghana Cocoa Board (COCOBOD) has been officially inaugurated at a brief ceremony held at the Ministry of Finance, amid calls for urgent reforms to reverse the declining fortunes of Ghana’s cocoa sector.
The newly constituted board is chaired by Dr. Samuel Ofosu Ampofo and includes prominent figures such as the Minister for Finance, Dr. Cassiel Ato Forson; Governor of the Bank of Ghana, Dr. Johnson Asiama; Chief Executive Randy Abbey; Alhaji Alhassan Kobina Ghansah; Vincent Oppong Asamoah; Deputy Minister for Trade, Samson Ahi; Deputy Minister for Agriculture, John Dumelo; Alhaji Alhassan Bukari; Nana Charles Owusu; and Eric Turkson.
The inauguration ceremony was presided over by the Minister for Energy, Hon. John Jinapor, who also serves as the Alternate Minister for Finance. In his remarks, Mr. Jinapor congratulated the new board members and underscored the gravity of the challenges confronting COCOBOD.
He noted that while the institution was once a pillar of Ghana’s economy, cocoa production has seen a dramatic drop—from a peak of one million metric tonnes to approximately 500,000 metric tonnes in recent years. Despite the dire state of the sector, he expressed optimism, citing the experience and integrity of the new board as key to restoring COCOBOD’s credibility and performance.
Finance Minister Dr. Cassiel Ato Forson, who also sits on the board as mandated by law, thanked the President for the opportunity to serve once more, having previously done so in his role as a Deputy Finance Minister. Dr. Forson described cocoa as “the jewel of the economy,” lamenting the mismanagement that has plagued the industry in recent years.
He revealed that government intends to boost cocoa production through the establishment of plantation farms, with plans to acquire at least 200 hectares of cocoa farmland. The initiative aims to restore production levels to the previous benchmark of one million metric tonnes.
Dr. Forson also urged the board to tackle head-on the issue of diseased cocoa farms, particularly in the Western Region, which has been a persistent barrier to increased yields. He assured the board of the Finance Ministry’s unwavering support in achieving its mandate.
In his acceptance speech, newly sworn-in Board Chairman Dr. Samuel Ofosu Ampofo expressed gratitude to the President for the trust placed in him and his colleagues. He described the appointment as both an honour and a solemn responsibility.
Dr. Ofosu Ampofo pledged to lead a transformative agenda for COCOBOD, promising to “reset, retool, and reimagine” the institution to restore its central role in Ghana’s economic development. He further encouraged members of the political class to lead by example by engaging in farming to inspire the younger generation.
The board’s inauguration comes at a critical time for Ghana’s cocoa industry, which remains a key export earner and a livelihood source for millions of farmers across the country.
