Vincent Ekow Assafuah, the Member of Parliament for Old Tafo, has petitioned the Office of the Special Prosecutor (OSP) to probe an alleged conflict of interest at the Ghana Cocoa Board (COCOBOD).
The Old Tafo MP’s petition stems from his alleged claim against Ato Boateng, Acting Deputy Chief Executive in charge of Finance and Administration at COCOBOD and his dealings with Atlas Commodities Limited.
Ekow Assafuah called on the OSP to launch a full criminal and corruption-risk investigation into alleged conflict-of-interest and potential abuse of office, as Ato Boateng, as a Deputy Chief Executive, is also the CEO of Atlas Commodities Limited, which he argued constitutes a conflict of interest amounting to abuse of office.
The Old Tafo MP is also asking the OSP to determine whether Mr Boateng fully declared his prior relationship with the company upon assuming public office.
“I respectfully request the Office of the Special Prosecutor to investigate: Whether Mr Ato Boateng’s prior executive leadership of Atlas Commodities Limited, combined with his present role at COCOBOD, constitutes a conflict of interest amounting to abuse of office. Whether his prior relationship with Atlas Commodities was fully declared upon assumption of public office,” Part of the petition stated.
He also called on the OSP to investigate whether Atlas Commodities Limited received preferential treatment, regulatory accommodation, operational advantages, or institutional protection within COCOBOD.
Earlier, in a Facebook post shared by Vincent Ekow Assafuah, he wrote, “BIG SCANDAL LOOMING AT COCOBOD.
One of the reasons cocoa farmers continue to endure hardship under the current COCOBOD administration is what appears to be blatant insensitivity and possible abuse of office.
Serious concerns have emerged regarding the leadership of COCOBOD under Randy Abbey and his deputy, Mr. Ato Boateng, Acting Deputy Chief Executive (Finance & Administration), whose established professional association with Atlas Commodities Limited is confirmed by records at the Registrar-General’s Department and further corroborated by publicly available information, including a simple Google or AI search, which shows that he is the company’s Chief Executive Officer since 2018.
Attached is a waybill issued in the name of Atlas Commodities Limited indicating the movement of cocoa from Kedjebi within the 2025/2026 crop season. The document references 800 bags of Grade One Cocoa, raising legitimate questions about the operational role of this private company within the cocoa purchasing chain.
It is alleged that funds meant for Licensed Buying Companies, including PBCs, to purchase cocoa were instead redirected to this private entity, with cocoa allegedly hoarded in anticipation of future price increases.
These alleged activities are said to be taking place in parts of the Central and Eastern Regions, raising concerns about the scale of the operation.
COCOBOD is the regulator of all Licensed Buying Companies. Therefore, how can the regulator of the industry be seen to also operate, directly or indirectly, as a buying company within the same system it supervises? If true, this would represent a serious conflict of interest and a breach of regulatory integrity.
Further claims suggest that Atlas Commodities Limited does not operate its own warehouses but may be relying on existing PBC warehouse facilities.
Most concerning is the allegation that Atlas Commodities may be operating within warehouses registered under PBC. COCOBOD regulations require that every warehouse be registered under a specific Licensed Buying Company. If a warehouse is registered under PBC, it should not be used for the storage, grading, sealing, or processing of cocoa belonging to another company.
If proven, such an arrangement would constitute a serious regulatory breach and raise critical questions for the district Quality Control officers responsible for oversight.
Additionally, it is being alleged that the Chief Executive has sat on a task force report related to these matters, preventing the public from knowing the full extent of its findings.
These are grave concerns that demand urgent and independent investigation. The matter has reportedly been brought to the attention of the Jasikan and Hohoe Police Stations.
Cocoa farmers deserve transparency, accountability, and protection from any actions that undermine their livelihoods”, his post concluded.
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