Citizen Ato Dadzie, General Secretary of the Great Consolidated Popular Party (GCPP), has urged government to take decisive and well-thought-out action to restore confidence in Ghana’s cocoa industry, warning that panic-driven decisions could deepen the crisis.
Speaking on the unfolding cocoa debt controversy on Kessben Maakye, Mr. Dadzie said desperate measures taken in desperate situations often worsen national economic conditions. He stressed that the time has come for a comprehensive reset of the sector, particularly within the Ghana Cocoa Board (COCOBOD).
According to him, the structure of the institution itself raises concerns about efficiency and sustainability. He alleged that out of roughly 10,000 workers at COCOBOD, nearly half — about 5,000 — are senior staff, a situation he believes contributes to the sector’s financial strain.
Mr. Dadzie also questioned the pace of official investigations into alleged irregularities. He recalled that the Economic and Organised Crime Office (EOCO) swiftly seized assets belonging to former COCOBOD Chief Executive Stephen Opuni after the New Patriotic Party (NPP) assumed power in 2017 over suspected corruption-related activities.
However, he said he does not understand why the current administration has remained largely silent for about a year until the recent emergence of the cocoa debt issue.
“It is unfortunate we now have to swallow a bitter pill,” he stated, adding that government communication must be strategic and transparent rather than speculative to maintain public trust and investor confidence.
He concluded that clear policy direction and structural reforms remain critical to safeguarding the future of Ghana’s cocoa industry and protecting farmers’ livelihoods.
