Former Member of Parliament for Sefwi-Wiawso and cocoa farmer, Dr. Kwaku Afriyie, has called for a major restructuring of Ghana’s cocoa sector, insisting that salary cuts alone will not address the deep-rooted challenges confronting the industry.
Speaking in an interview on Adom FM’s Dwaso Nsem, Dr. Afriyie argued that reducing staff salaries at the Ghana Cocoa Board (COCOBOD) would not provide the structural solution the sector requires.
“The salary cut of staff will not solve our problem,” he said. “But if it will help the government for the optics, that’s fine.”
According to him, the current crisis stems from systemic issues that go beyond payroll costs. He suggested that better professional advice at critical moments could have prevented some of the sector’s present difficulties.
“They should have been able to advise the government when they promised that 6,000 price,” he noted, adding that even during political transitions, sound technical guidance should not be compromised.
Dr. Afriyie stressed the need to prioritise competence over political considerations at COCOBOD. “We need professionals at Cocobod. I believe there should be a lot of professionals,” he stated.
He described the institution as “overbloated and politicised,” arguing that it must be scaled down to operate more efficiently.
In his view, COCOBOD functions essentially as a private-sector-driven industry, because cocoa farmers go to great lengths to secure funding and capital for production.
“The cocoa farmers will go to every extent to get their funding and capital. Then a government will come and load the place with political apparatchiks. Then Cocobod will be looked down upon as a political entity,” he lamented.
Dr. Afriyie urged all political parties to depoliticise the cocoa sector, warning that continued partisan interference undermines credibility and performance.
“Across all the parties, we need to stop that,” he said.
His comments add to the growing public debate about reforms within COCOBOD, as stakeholders push for measures to stabilise the sector and improve the livelihoods of cocoa farmers.
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