Govt orders forensic and criminal probe into COCOBOD’s eight-year operations

The government has instructed the Attorney General and Minister for Justice, Dr. Dominic Ayine, to commence a full-scale forensic and criminal investigation into the financial management and operations of the Ghana Cocoa Board (COCOBOD) over the past eight years.

The directive was announced by Finance Minister Dr. Cassiel Ato Forson on Thursday, February 12, during a press briefing on measures being introduced to stabilise the cocoa sector amid ongoing challenges.

According to Dr. Forson, the decision was taken by Cabinet as part of efforts to promote transparency, accountability, and good governance within COCOBOD and the wider cocoa industry.

“To ensure accountability and transparency in the management of COCOBOD and the cocoa sector as a whole, Cabinet has directed the Attorney General to commission concurrent forensic and criminal investigations into the activities of COCOBOD over the last eight years,” he stated.

The announcement follows an emergency meeting convened by President John Dramani Mahama on Wednesday, February 11, to address mounting concerns within the cocoa sector.

Government officials indicated that the investigations will run concurrently with broader structural reforms aimed at restoring financial stability to COCOBOD and protecting the livelihoods of cocoa farmers across the country.

The cocoa sector has recently experienced significant difficulties, particularly delays in payments to farmers, triggering anxiety among stakeholders and raising questions about the long-term sustainability of Ghana’s status as a leading global cocoa producer.