COCOBOD must fix payment delays before criminalising cocoa smuggling – Fiifi Boafo

Former Head of Public Affairs at Ghana Cocoa Board, Fiifi Boafo, has urged policymakers to address the financial and payment difficulties confronting cocoa farmers before introducing harsher penalties for cocoa smuggling.

His remarks come amid discussions over proposals by COCOBOD to strengthen anti-smuggling laws, including the introduction of a 10-year jail term, fines of up to 200,000 penalty units, and the establishment of a special tribunal to prosecute cocoa-related offences.

The proposed measures are intended to curb cocoa smuggling, which authorities say has contributed to declining official cocoa purchases and significant revenue losses for Ghana in recent years.

While acknowledging that cocoa smuggling poses a serious threat to the country's economy, Boafo argued that punitive measures alone will not solve the problem unless the underlying challenges facing cocoa farmers are addressed.

In a statement issued on June 1, he recognized COCOBOD's contributions to the sector through investments in research, extension services, disease control programmes, farm inputs, pesticides, and fungicides. However, he stressed that restoring confidence in the cocoa purchasing system should be a priority.

“The cocoa farmer depends on prompt payment not merely for comfort, but survival,” he stated.

According to Boafo, the 2025/2026 cocoa season has been particularly challenging for many farmers, with reports of delayed payments after cocoa deliveries. He noted that some Licensed Buying Companies (LBCs) struggled to access financing, leaving farmers waiting weeks or even months to receive payment for their produce.

The comments come as Ghana's cocoa sector continues to grapple with multiple challenges, including declining production levels, illegal mining activities in cocoa-growing communities, climate-related pressures, crop diseases, and rising operational costs.

Boafo also highlighted concerns about price differences between Ghana and neighbouring cocoa-producing countries, arguing that such disparities can encourage cross-border trading and smuggling.

Although government officials maintain that cocoa smuggling undermines foreign exchange earnings and affects Ghana's ability to meet international cocoa contracts, Boafo questioned whether severe punishments are justified when farmers themselves face difficulties accessing timely payments through official channels.

“It is difficult to understand why, at a time when COCOBOD and some LBCs have struggled to fulfil their core obligation of promptly purchasing and paying for cocoa, the priority appears to be harsher punishment for farmers and others who may resort to cross-border sales in search of immediate payment,” he said.

The former COCOBOD spokesperson further argued that the state must meet its own obligations under the law. Citing the COCOBOD Law, 1984 (PNDC Law 81), he noted that the institution has a legal responsibility to ensure the effective purchase and marketing of cocoa produced in Ghana.

“If the state seeks to punish acts deemed contrary to the cocoa laws, then the state itself must equally comply with its obligations,” he stated.

Boafo proposed a series of reforms aimed at tackling the root causes of cocoa smuggling, including guaranteed prompt payment for farmers, improved financing for Licensed Buying Companies, fair producer pricing, greater transparency in cocoa purchases, and enhanced accountability within COCOBOD.

He warned that policies focused solely on punishment without addressing farmers’ economic hardships could further erode trust in the cocoa sector and deepen frustrations within cocoa-growing communities.

“Protecting Ghana's cocoa industry must go hand in hand with protecting the dignity and livelihood of the cocoa farmer,” he said.

He therefore called on Parliament and policymakers to ensure that anti-smuggling efforts are accompanied by reforms that safeguard the welfare of cocoa farmers, insisting that sustainable solutions must balance enforcement with support for those at the heart of the industry.