Ghana’s president-elect, John Dramani Mahama, plans to restructure the cocoa industry and its regulator, COCOBOD, to improve efficiency.
Mahama criticized COCOBOD for competing with farmers for profits and pledged to involve the private sector in some areas.
“Can we have a state enterprise that creates an opportunity where the farmer is getting his money directly?” he said.
Mahama, who won the December 7 election, will take office on January 7. His focus will be on revitalizing cocoa and crude oil production to aid economic recovery.
With cocoa production at a historic low, Mahama blamed climate change, disease, and illegal mining.
He also criticized COCOBOD’s rising costs, which have affected farmers’ earnings. His reforms aim to streamline the sector and boost farmers’ profits.
The IMF has urged COCOBOD to cut costs, and Mahama is open to working with anyone to restore the sector’s former success.
