Nii Lante Vanderpuye, the National Coordinator of the District Road Improvement Programme (DRIP), has described the Finance Minister’s scheduled announcement on cocoa sector reforms as an initial step toward wider consultations, rather than a definitive solution to the industry’s challenges.
Speaking on Channel One TV’s Breakfast Daily on Thursday, February 12, Mr Vanderpuye said the depth of the problems confronting cocoa production and financing requires far-reaching reforms that cannot be resolved through a single policy statement.
“I don’t think today’s announcement could be enough for the reform of the cocoa sector. Drastic and radical reforms would need to be there. Between yesterday and today, no single individual can fashion out the solutions. In the interim, I think this announcement will help set the tone and guide the process in a way that considers everyone’s interests,” he stated.
His comments come against the backdrop of mounting financial pressure in the cocoa sector, with farmers demanding that the Ghana Cocoa Board (COCOBOD) clear outstanding debts owed over several months. The payment delays have heightened frustration among growers and raised fresh concerns about the long-term sustainability of cocoa farming.
The Minister for Finance, Dr Cassiel Ato Forson, is expected to address the nation with proposed reforms aimed at stabilising COCOBOD and addressing the sector’s financial and operational difficulties.
The planned announcement follows an emergency Cabinet meeting held on Wednesday, February 11, amid growing anxiety over delayed payments to farmers and the broader fiscal strain confronting the cocoa industry.
