According to Appiah-Kubi, the financial and structural problems facing COCOBOD are deep-rooted and cannot be fairly attributed to only one administration.
He argued that the cocoa sector has battled longstanding issues including mounting debt, declining production, price volatility on the international market, and inefficiencies in internal operations.
“The problems of COCOBOD did not start in the last eight years,” he stressed, urging critics to avoid politicising the struggles of an institution that has carried Ghana’s economy for decades.
COCOBOD, which oversees the production, marketing, and regulation of cocoa in Ghana, has in recent times come under intense scrutiny over its financial health.
Ghana, the world’s second-largest cocoa producer, relies heavily on cocoa exports for foreign exchange earnings. However, falling global prices, climate challenges, illegal mining activities, and rising operational costs have all placed enormous strain on the sector.
Appiah-Kubi maintained that successive governments have had to grapple with similar structural burdens, including legacy debts and the high cost of financing cocoa purchases each season. He cautioned against what he described as a “selective memory” in the ongoing public discourse.
Industry analysts note that COCOBOD’s challenges have evolved over time, shaped by both global market pressures and domestic policy decisions. The former lawmaker called for bipartisan collaboration to reset the cocoa sector rather than trading accusations.
He further emphasised that safeguarding the future of cocoa farming requires long-term reforms, improved transparency, and innovative strategies to support farmers and stabilise the board’s finances.
As the debate intensifies, Appiah-Kubi’s remarks add a fresh layer to the political conversation surrounding COCOBOD’s past, present, and future — reminding stakeholders that fixing the sector will demand more than just pointing fingers.