I’ve not collapsed COCOBOD – Joseph Boahen Aidoo refutes
Mr Joseph Boahen Aidoo, Chief Executive Officer of Ghana COCOBOD.
Joseph Boahen Aidoo, Chief Executive Officer (CEO) for the Ghana COCOBOD says he has always sought for the best price for Ghana’s cocoa on the world market.
According to him, as a farmer himself he is able to identify the difficulties in the production chain of cocoa.
Interacting with news editors in Kumasi over the weekend, Mr Aidoo said his background has informed his decision to seek the best for the Ghanaian farmer and the country.
“As a cocoa farmer since 1982 i know and understand the difficulties cocoa farmers go through and i have always used that mindset in approaching pricing issues at the world Markets because i believe we should get the best from the difficult job we do”, the CEO stressed.
Collapse:
The CEO parried of claims that he had collapsed operations at COCOBOD.
He noted that rather, he has outlined many forward looking policies including the Cocoa Marketing Systems (CMS) that ensures COCOBOD has data on all cocoa farmers.
The CEO said he superintended over the institution of Cocoa Insurance for cocoa farmers.
Currently, these two systems alongside its financing module has been touted as best management practice in the industry.
“It’s palpable falsehood that I have superintended over the collapse of COCOBOD. Every system i met including new ones that i have initiated for the betterment of cocoa farmers are working perfectly”, the CEO intimated.
Interventions:
The CEO said since his tenure he has deployed measures and systems that would lead to high yields in cocoa production.
He stated that he has ensured the provision of high yielding seedlings of cocoa for over a million cocoa farmers in Ghana.
Pruning and other essential management strategies in cocoa production, the CEO noted had also been in place for the past seven (7) years.
New Cocoa Price:
Earlier in the morning, CEO disclosed to 70 cocoa farming organisations from 70 districts in the country that the President would somewhere next week is expected to announce the new price for the upcoming cocoa season.
Popularly called the FOB Price, the CEO said the new price would be arrived at when members of the price fixing committee which includes the Agric Minister goes through the processes and finish same.
The Minister, the CEO explained would from that technical meeting inform the President about the new price determination.
“The President upon the advice of the Technical Committee on new Cocoa price determination would then announce same to the whole of Ghana at a forum which we believe would be somewhere next week Tuesday”, the CEO stated.
Source: Ghana/otecfmghana.com/Michael Ofosu-Afriyie, Kumasi.
