Paul Adom-Otchere, a renowned broadcaster and Host of Good Evening Ghana, has said the Ghana Cocoa Board (COCOBOD) is not a ‘common sense’ job.
According to Adom-Otchere, the COCOBOD position requires appointees who possess the necessary technical expertise.
He stressed that the ongoing challenges at COCOBOD highlight the dangers of placing politically connected individuals in technically demanding roles.
Speaking on The Big Issue on Channel One TV on Saturday, February 14, 2026, he explained, “The issue at COCOBOD is bringing to the fore the conversation that politicians must understand that when a new government takes over, and they are distributing political positions, some of these positions are purely technical. You can take your person there, but make sure that such a person is technically competent.”
“From what we are seeing from COCOBOD, if you want to put someone who is a seasoned treasury banker over there, that will be fine. Or even a seasoned lawyer, who will also work. It is simply not a ‘common sense’ job,” he added.
He further added, “The good thing for politicians is that most of the jobs are common sense, and so many of them can do it. But those that are not, we must fit those places with competent people”.
Also, Andy Appiah-Kubi, a former member of parliament for Asante Akim North, has said management of the Ghana Cocoa Board (COCOBOD) must cut salaries by 28% to show commitment following the crisis in the cocoa sector.
According to him, COCOBOD management’s slashing of salaries by 28 per cent will demonstrate they are finding solutions to the crisis.
Speaking on TV3 Key Points on Saturday, February 14, Andy Appiah-Kubi stated, “I want to wake up to the news that COCOBDO management has received sales of 28 per cent”.
He further debunked claims that COCOBOD problems started just eight years ago, arguing that COCOBOD are historic, dating back to Nkrumah’s time.
Andy Appiah-Kubi, “The problems of COCOBOD are historic. Why do we continue to look for funding to support cocoa operations in Ghana? We can’t continue to politicise the sector.”
“The problems of COCOBOD are historic, so I don’t agree that it started 8 years ago. From Nkrumah’s time up to now, we were supposed to build enough funding to avoid syndication. The moment we started looking for funding for COCOBOD, I knew we had issues. The problems are multiple.”
“If the international price is 52,000, let’s make an adjustment so that the farmers can get 70 per cent of the returns…we have been fair to the farmer in the last year”.
Meanwhile, The Minority in Parliament has told President John Dramani Mahama to immediately dismiss the Chief Executive Officer of the Ghana Cocoa Board (COCOBOD), Dr Randy Abbey, over the ongoing crisis facing the cocoa sector.
According to the Minority, the recent reduction in the producer price of cocoa will have serious consequences for cocoa farmers and their families.
Speaking to journalists in Accra on Thursday, February 12, the Ranking Member on Parliament’s Economy and Development Committee, Kojo Oppong Nkrumah, stated, “… Respectfully, we ask the president to relieve the COCOBOD Board CEO of his responsibilities at this point in time.”
“The NDC government should absorb the cost of what they have done and protect the cocoa farmer, and restore at least the GH¢3,625 that they promised. This GH¢2,800 or so that they are promising is totally unacceptable.
“Already, we are receiving messages from cocoa farmers who say that if this is what is going to happen, they are going to demonstrate in a number of days. And if they do, we will join them on the streets to do this demonstration,” he warned.