Dr. Ransford Abbey, the newly appointed Acting Chief Executive Officer of COCOBOD, has assured cocoa farmers of his commitment to ensuring prompt payments for their produce while promoting greater transparency within the sector.
Following his first official engagement with cocoa farmers, Dr. Abbey emphasized that his administration will focus on addressing key challenges affecting farmers, particularly delayed payments and rising operational costs. He reiterated that the well-being of farmers remains central to Ghana’s cocoa industry and that their concerns will be tackled with urgency.
“Our priority is to ensure that farmers receive their payments on time. We understand the challenges they face, and we are committed to putting them first. When funds become available, cocoa payments will take precedence over all other financial obligations,” he stated.
In addition to financial commitments, Dr. Abbey outlined plans to strengthen efforts against cocoa smuggling, which has been a growing concern in the industry. He disclosed that COCOBOD is working closely with the National Security to implement stricter measures to combat the illegal trade.
“We are actively collaborating with national security agencies. A dedicated team has been set up to address this issue, and we are determined to take firm action to curb smuggling,” he assured.
