Cocoa smugglers are devils – Boahen Aidoo

The Chief Executive Officer of COCOBOD, Joseph Boahen Aidoo, has described cocoa smugglers as nation wreckers who do not have the nation at heart.

According to him, it was only devils who will smuggle cocoa.

“I’m saying that all those who are smuggling cocoa or inputs from Ghana to wherever, are not just nation wreckers, they’re devils,” he said.

During a regional tour of the Oti Region, Mr. Boahen Aidoo warned that goods impounded by the security officers would be sold and shared between COCOBOD and the security agencies.

He appealed to the various security agencies to intensify their fight against illegal miners whose activities are destroying acres of cocoa farms.

The activities of galamsey operators are one of the major challenges faced by the cocoa industry.

The menace threatens to undo the investments made by the government to modernise cocoa farming and increase yields.

Ghana’s cocoa sector remains the backbone of the economy considering its huge contribution to gross domestic product (GDP).

With Ghana’s cocoa producer prices relatively below what its neighbours offer farmers, some recalcitrant smugglers have been sending the country’s cocoa across borders illegally for higher prices.

 January 15, 2010,

The Dormaa Circuit Court granted bail in the sum of GHC 20,000 with two sureties to Yaw Agyemang, a Produce Buying Company (PBC) Purchasing clerk who attempted to smuggle 70 bags of dried cocoa beans valued at GH¢10,500 to neighbouring Cote d’Ivoire.

July 26, 2014

A 32-year-old man was arrested for allegedly smuggling cocoa from Nkrankwanta in the Brong Ahafo Region, to Cote d’Ivoire.

December 20, 2019

The Kadjebi District Police Command intercepted 51 bags of cocoa beans being smuggled to neighbouring Togo.

 February 15, 2020

Personnel from the Customs Service intercepted a vehicle with registration number, VR 407 – 17, loaded with cocoa beans heading towards Ave-Hevi in the Volta Region.