Kwame Asare Obeng, the newly elected Member of Parliament for Gomoa Central, has raised alarms over the deepening inequality in Ghana’s cocoa industry, calling for urgent reforms at the Ghana Cocoa Board (Cocobod).
In a sharp critique posted on social media, Obeng, better known as A Plus, highlighted the vast discrepancy between the lavish compensation and perks enjoyed by top officials at Cocobod and the meager earnings of the cocoa farmers who are responsible for producing the country’s main export.
A Plus argued that the system is exploitative, with those in high offices benefiting disproportionately, while the farmers who toil in the fields continue to face grinding poverty. “If this exploitation continues—where individuals who have never seen a cocoa seed grow wealthy while cocoa farmers and their families languish in poverty—farmers will be forced to either sell their land to illegal miners or engage in illegal mining themselves,” he warned. The situation, he contended, is unsustainable and threatens not only the livelihoods of cocoa farmers but also the broader health of the industry itself.
While Ghana is one of the world’s largest cocoa producers, the disparity between the profits generated by the sector and the living standards of its farmers is a long-standing issue. Cocoa farmers often work in difficult conditions, yet they struggle to secure a fair share of the revenues, with many unable to cover basic needs. The challenges are compounded by the increasing lure of illegal mining, which offers immediate financial rewards but presents environmental risks and undermines the country’s agricultural potential.
A Plus’s remarks echo the growing frustration with a system that many believe is rigged against the very people who are central to the industry’s success. His call for reforms at Cocobod is not merely a critique of financial mismanagement, but a plea for a more equitable distribution of resources within the sector. If unchecked, he warned, this imbalance could force many farmers to abandon cocoa farming in favor of more lucrative—and legally ambiguous—alternatives.
In a direct challenge to the government, A Plus also indicated plans to visit cocoa farming communities nationwide to document the use of child labor—a pervasive issue that has long plagued the sector. By collecting audiovisual evidence of children working on cocoa farms, he aims to shine a light on practices that could result in Ghana being banned from international cocoa markets. This issue has increasingly become a point of contention for multinational chocolate companies and international bodies pushing for ethical sourcing standards.
The proposed reforms at Cocobod could mark a turning point for Ghana’s cocoa industry. With consumer demand for ethically sourced goods at an all-time high, stakeholders—ranging from local government bodies to international buyers—may be forced to confront the uncomfortable truths surrounding the sector’s labor practices. How Ghana’s cocoa industry evolves in the coming years could have broad implications, not only for farmers’ livelihoods but for the country’s role in the global cocoa market, which is under increasing scrutiny for its labor practices. A Plus’s call for change could be the catalyst for a broader dialogue about sustainability, fairness, and the future of Ghana’s cocoa economy.
Read His Post Below:
REFORM COCOBOD TO REDUCE SPENDING AND FINANCIAL LOSES DRASTICALLY!!
A small group of party supporters and service providers in the cocoa industry—such as suppliers of fertilizers and insecticides, along with COCOBOD staff and its CEO—enjoy disproportionate benefits compared to the hardworking cocoa farmers. While the University of Ghana was funded with revenue from cocoa, no farmer ventured into the bush to plant cocoa so that the government could build universities or establish COCOBOD to enrich CEOs and politicians. Farmers, since time immemorial, have cultivated cocoa to provide a sustainable income for themselves and their families.
It is critical to ensure that these farmers receive what is fair and proportional for their labor. Over the years, countless children have endured child labor on cocoa farms yet have never tasted a bar of chocolate or even had a chocolate drink. The massive profits COCOBOD and its associates accumulate at the expense of farmers are not only unjust but could also be considered crimes against humanity.
If this exploitation continues—where individuals who have never seen a cocoa seed grow wealthy while cocoa farmers and their families languish in poverty—farmers will be forced to either sell their land to illegal miners or engage in illegal mining themselves.
Consider this: if someone can earn nearly $90,000 monthly from gold on the same land, who in their right sense would choose to grow cocoa, wait months, and earn a pittance while politicians and their allies make millions? COCOBOD’s corrupt system has turned illegal mining (galamsey) into an attractive alternative for struggling farmers. Instead of providing incentives for cocoa farmers to grow more trees—an initiative that could help combat global warming and generate foreign exchange—the government has made illegal mining the more viable option.
Meanwhile, the same government, led by “empty headed” greedy bustards like Abu Jinapor, spend massive budgets on tree-planting projects. Neem trees they dey export? After Swearing-in, if government does not take good care of the farmers and continue stealing from them, l’ll travel to villages to collect evidence of child labour on cocoa farms so that Ghana cocoa will be banned from the international market and all the farmers will enter into galamsey. If you can’t stop child labour, at least let the “labours” also enjoy- or we will all lose! You now see kɔnkɔnsa MP before abi?
NB: I am writing as the independent member of parliament-elect for the gomoa central constituency! I am not going to Parliament on party’s invitation. I’m going there on the invitation of the “street” and the people of Gomoa Central Constituency. If you are whatever in your government or party and you don’t respect, “e go over you!” Like I said on Joy 99.7 FM, We are experts in bringing governments down!
Take a cue!
