Speaking on Adom FM’s morning show Dwaso Nsem, Mr. Adimado disclosed the urgent need for the Ghana Cocoa Board (COCOBOD) to address delays in payments to Licensed Buying Companies (LBCs), which in turn affects farmers across the country.

“Government must, as a matter of urgency, secure a facility to pay for an estimated 300,000 metric tonnes of cocoa in a phased manner between now and September. Wherever COCOBOD can get the money, they should try and get it to us so we can pay our members, and our members can also pay the farmers” he said.

Mr. Adimado explained that the sector’s funding challenges are having serious consequences for both farmers and LBCs.

Many companies have been forced to pre-finance cocoa purchases using local bank loans, which carry high-interest rates of about 29.8 percent, due to delays in COCOBOD payments.

“The traditional syndicated funding has failed, and a hybrid funding model is needed to prevent further delays in payments to farmers,” Mr. Adimado added.

He also appealed directly to COCOBOD, stressing the need to settle outstanding payments for cocoa beans already supplied by LBCs.

His warnings come amid reports of an ongoing financial crisis in the Ghanaian cocoa industry, which threatens to disrupt the livelihoods of thousands of cocoa farmers if immediate action is not taken.

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They include representatives of Ineos owner Sir Jim Ratcliffe and Qatar’s Sheikh Jassim bin Hamad Al Thani.

The pair are regarded as the two leading candidates to buy the Premier League club should the Glazer family eventually decide to relinquish control.

Part of the presentations will revolve around how the club could generate more income.

Ratcliffe’s camp will visit at the end of next week, although it is yet to be confirmed whether the 70-year-old British billionaire will attend. Sheikh Jassim’s delegation will also receive their presentation next week.

It is not known whether there have been additional bids to buy the club but other organisations have expressed an interest in taking a stake in United.

Others, including the Elliott Group, have expressed a willingness to help with funding, either for external bidders or if the Glazer family decide to keep hold of United.

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Once the presentations have taken place, the Raine Group, which is handling the sale, is likely to ask for revised bids, which to this point have only been regarded as indicative.

The club’s data room, which would give up-to-date information around player contracts and sponsorship deals, is still to be fully opened to prospective buyers.

While the soft deadline for submitting bids was almost three weeks ago, the whole process could now speed up from this point, although getting a deal done by the end of the month, which had been the initial intention, is thought to be unlikely.

There is still uncertainty around the Glazer family’s intentions amid a view that United co-chairmen Joel and Avram would prefer to keep some part of the club but their four siblings and fellow directors do not.