Get rid of COCOBOD, it’s serving a bad purpose – Dr. Yamson

Dr. Ishmael Yamson, Chairman of the National Economic Dialogue, has called for the abolition of the Ghana Cocoa Board (COCOBOD), arguing that it no longer serves a useful purpose.

Speaking on TV3’s Hot Issues on March 9, he criticized COCOBOD’s financial inefficiencies, political interference, and lack of transparency. He questioned its value, citing Cote D’Ivoire’s higher cocoa production despite not having a similar institution.

Dr. Yamson argued that COCOBOD retains most of the revenue from cocoa sales instead of benefiting farmers. He emphasized that COCOBOD was originally meant to protect farmers' interests but now fails to do so, leading many to sell their produce to Cote D’Ivoire for better prices. He concluded that without reforms, COCOBOD should be scrapped.