Dr. Ato Forson, Minister of Finance
Government has ordered a comprehensive forensic audit into the finances and operations of the Ghana Cocoa Board (COCOBOD) spanning the past eight years.
The directive, issued to Attorney General and Minister for Justice Dr. Dominic Ayine, follows an emergency conclave convened by President John Dramani Mahama to address the sector's burgeoning crisis.
"To ensure accountability and transparency in the management of COCOBOD and the cocoa sector as a whole, cabinet also directed the Attorney General to commission concurrent forensic and criminal investigation into the activities of COCOBOD over the last eight years," Finance Minister Dr. Cassiel Ato Forson announced.
This sweeping investigation will run concurrently with far-reaching structural reforms aimed at resuscitating COCOBOD's financial fortunes and safeguarding the livelihoods of cocoa farmers nationwide.
The sector has been reeling under the weight of delayed payments to farmers, sparking widespread concerns about Ghana's long-term status as a premier cocoa producer.
By: Lawrence Odoom (Phalonzy)
