The Head of Public Relations at COCOBOD, Fifi Boafo, says that under the administration of COCOBOD Chief Executive Officer, Joseph Boahen Aidoo, the country has not suffered cocoa smuggling from 2017 to 2022.

Fifi Boafo has been defending the track record of Joseph Boahen Aidoo following accusations of incompetence and gross mismanagement of the cocoa sector by the Minority side in parliament despite an announcement of a 68 percent increase in the producer price of cocoa.

Speaking on JoyFM, Fifi Boafo noted that Mr. Aidoo was able to curtail the smuggling of cocoa by raising the producer price within the country above that of neighbouring countries.

“I have heard the argument about smuggling, but it is important we cast our minds back from what the situation has been from 2017 up to date. From 2017 up to last year, there has never been an issue of smuggling in our country. And the reason is simple. Between 2017 and 2022 Ghana has paid better price than our neighbouring countries,” he said.

According to him, for the Minority to then accuse the CEO of shortchanging farmers is rather unfortunate

“So if you say that within a period of seven years, in one particular year your neighbours paid better price than you so for that reason it amounts to insensitiveness clearly then you’re not being fair to facts.

“Because in a period of seven years, six continuous years, Ghana has paid a better price if you compare to Cote D’Ivoire, and this year you have a situation where Cote D’Ivoire paid better price and you say that just because … in one year out of seven when you’re outpaced it is incompetence or inefficiency on your part, what happened to the six years when you paid better?,” he said.

He added that currently Ghana pays a better price than Cote D’Ivoire

“What is happening now with the price that has been announced is higher than what is being sold in Cote D’Ivoire. We are yet to have the price from Cote D’Ivoire,” he said.

Meanwhile, the Minority is adamant that Joseph Boahen Aidoo resign immediately from his post as CEO of COCOBOD.

Speaking to journalists in the Ashanti Region, Minority Leader, Dr. Cassiel Ato Forson said the cocoa sector is collapsing despite an announcement of a 68 percent increase in the producer price.

“Clearly, something is amiss at COCOBOD because we are seeing the production of cocoa coming down to the lowest in the last fifteen years and we have also seen them recording massive losses since 2017.

“Last year, according to their own audit report, we declared a loss of GH¢2.4 billion in one year and so I don’t see why the CEO should be in office despite these happenings.”