Ghana’s cocoa value chain is facing renewed pressure as staff of the Ghana Cocoa Board (COCOBOD) in Tema raise serious concerns over deteriorating operational and logistical conditions.
Among the key issues raised are inadequate office space, poor remuneration, outdated vehicles, and the absence of food safety laboratories. According to staff, these challenges are undermining productivity and compromising the sector’s ability to meet both export and quality standards.
With cocoa remaining a critical source of foreign exchange for the country, the employees are calling for swift intervention from COCOBOD management to prevent further disruptions in the value chain.
Responding to these concerns during a recent familiarisation tour, COCOBOD Board Chairman Dr. Samuel Ofosu Ampofo assured staff that efforts are underway to address the challenges.
“The approval has been granted for management to purchase operational vehicles to meet current demands. It won’t be long before the outdated vehicles — those with registration numbers starting with Z and Y — are replaced by newer models from the 2020–2025 series,” he stated.
Dr. Ofosu Ampofo emphasized the need for reinvestment into the organization’s infrastructure to enhance efficiency.
“We believe a portion of the revenue generated should be reinvested into improving the logistics and tools needed for effective work. The world is evolving rapidly. ICT is now central to operations. If the rest of the world is moving into 5G and we’re still using outdated systems, we simply can’t keep up,” he added.
