Mahama will always make mistakes, disgrace himself if he relies on NDC folks on cocoa issues – COCOBOD CEO

The Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of the Ghana Cocoa Board (COCOBOD), Joseph Boahen Aidoo says he believes former President John Dramani Mahama is misinformed on issues in the cocoa sector.

This is in a reply to the flagbearer of the National Democratic Congress (NDC) after he criticised the GHS1,308 announced as the new price for a cocoa bag by the government.

In a post on the Facebook page of the former president, he said the government's recently announced increase in the farm-gate price of cocoa is a rip-off to the hardworking cocoa farmers and their families who continue to sustain Ghana’s economy through their toil.

He argued that with the international market price surging to a 46-year record high of $3,600, the government should have given cocoa farmers their fair share of the international FOB price.

“Sadly, the government has chosen to give them a paltry GH₵1,308 per bag, constituting only 52.7% of the FOB Price of the product on the international market.

“This is unfair to our cocoa farmers, who have been worse off since the NPP took over the reins of government in 2017,” John Dramani Mahama said in his post.

Replying to the former President in an interview with Adom FM on Monday, September 18, COCOBOD CEO Joseph Boahen Aidoo said John Dramani Mahama is misinformed.

According to him, the NDC flagbearer should consult with him to get an education on cocoa or he will always make mistakes to disgrace himself.

“Regardless of my political affiliation, I am Ghanaian, so I’m prepared to advise Mahama on cocoa issues if he avails himself. We were even colleagues in Parliament. If he [Mahama] decides to rely on his people, he will always come out, make mistakes, and disgrace himself as a statesman. That will not be good because the people close to him don’t know anything about cocoa,” Joseph Boahen Aidoo argued.

He said the ruling NPP government has not short-changed the Ghanaian cocoa farmer but is rather committed to ensuring that cocoa farmers in the country prosper.