Opuni Trial: CHED has no hand in procurement of agrochemicals — Dr. Baah

Dr Francis Baah, a former Executive Director of Cocoa Health and Extension Division (CHED) of COCOBOD, says the Division had no hand in the procurement of agrochemicals.

He said CHED was mainly to provide farmer support and education to farmers.

Dr Baah, who was a subpoena witness for Mr Seidu Agongo, a Businessman, was giving his evidence in a trial involving Dr Stephen Opuni, a former Chief Executive of COCOBOD led by Benson Nutsukpui.

Dr Opuni and Mr Seidu Agongo, a Businessman, are facing 27charges, including defrauding by false pretences, wilfully causing financial loss to the State, money laundering, and corruption by a public officer in contravention of the Public Procurement Act.

They have both pleaded not guilty to the charges and are on a GH¢300,000.00 self-recognizance bail each.

The witness said CHED was directly under the Office of the Deputy Chief Executive of COCOBOD in charge of Agronomy and Quality Control.

He told the court presided over by Justice Aboagye Tandoh that when he was the Executive Director, CHED had seven Cocoa Regions.

They are Ashanti, Brong Ahafo, Central, Eastern, Volta, Western North and Western South Regions.

He said the Regions were divided into 41 Cocoa Districts and were further expanded to 70 Cocoa Districts before he left office.

The witness said his role as the Executive Director was to ensure efficient management and operations of CHED and to ensure that the farmers got support as COCOBOD management had directed CHED to provide

Dr Baah said field trips organised by CHED were done at different levels, including community engagements, and farm visits to ascertain challenges facing farmers.

He said at the district level, farmers were brought together to share their field experiences whereas evaluations of farm operations were done at the regional levels.

“…And at the national level, the Executive Director and some staff went to some farms to appreciate farm operations,” he added.

He said all field reports were discussed at the technical meetings with regional managers, with concerns sent to the Chief Executive through the Deputy Chief Executive Agronomy and Quality Control.

GNA