Also known as: Anti-Smuggling Unit of the Ghana Cocoa Board
Ghana Cocoa Board — state institution regulating Ghana's cocoa sector, recently restructured under new governance framework to ensure farmer payments and implement sector reforms.
Verbatim sentences from the source article.
Joy Online
Former Head of Public Affairs at the Ghana Cocoa Board (COCOBOD), Fiifi Boafo, has described the government’s Nkoko Nkitinkiti programme as a waste of state resources, arguing that its design is incapable of creating sustainable poultry businesses. …
Nkoko Nkitinkiti complete waste of state resources—Fiifi BoafoJoy Online
The Ghana Cocoa Board (COCOBOD) has failed to meet its self-imposed end-of-June deadline to clear more than GH¢6 billion owed to cocoa farmers and Licensed Buying Companies (LBCs), leaving an estimated GH¢3.4 billion still outstanding. …
COCOBOD misses June deadline to clear GH¢6bn cocoa arrears, leaves GH¢3.4bn unpaidThe Chronicle
The Ghana Cocoa Board (COCOBOD) has released GH¢2.6 billion to Licensed Buying Companies (LBCs) to facilitate the payment of cocoa farmers across all cocoa-growing regions of the country. …
COCOBOD Releases GH¢2.6bn to Settle Cocoa FarmersJoy Online
The Ghana Cocoa Board (COCOBOD) has released an additional GH¢2.6 billion to Licensed Buying Companies (LBCs) to pay cocoa farmers, pushing total payments for cocoa purchases this crop season to more than GH¢34.5 billion. …
GH¢34.5bn paid out in cocoa purchases as COCOBOD injects more cashJoy Online
The Ghana Cocoa Board (COCOBOD) has released GH¢2.6 billion to Licensed Buying Companies (LBCs) to facilitate payments to cocoa farmers for cocoa purchases across all cocoa-growing regions. …
COCOBOD releases GH¢2.6m to LBCs to settle cocoa farmersJoy Online
The Ghana Cocoa Board (COCOBOD) has released GH¢2.6 billion to Licensed Buying Companies (LBCs) to facilitate payments to cocoa farmers for cocoa purchases across all cocoa-growing regions. …
COCOBOD releases GH¢2.6bn to LBCs to settle cocoa farmersBusiness & Financial Times
The Ghana Cocoa Board (COCOBOD) has released GH¢2.6 billion to Licensed Buying Companies (LBCs) to facilitate payments to cocoa farmers, with more than half of the amount earmarked to clear outstanding debts owed to farmers who supplied cocoa on credit. …
COCOBOD releases GH¢2.6bn to settle cocoa farmer paymentsJoy Online
Former Head of Public Affairs at the Ghana Cocoa Board (COCOBOD), Fiifi Boafo, has criticised the South African government over the resurgence of xenophobic violence, alleging that the attacks are effectively being enabled by the state. …
South African state complicit in xenophobic violence – Fiifi BoafoJoy Online
… The drivers were arrested on the spot, and the contraband cargo was shipped directly to Accra for the Ghana Cocoa Board (COCOBOD). …
Ahafo cocoa farmers demand urgent action as smuggling threatens livelihoods and national economyBusiness & Financial Times
… According to the Ghana Cocoa Board (COCOBOD), cocoa production for the 2024/2025 season stood at about 600,000 metric tonnes, significantly below the record 1,047,000 metric tonnes harvested during the 2020/2021 crop season. …
When gold threatens green gold: Illegal mining’s toll on cocoa and cashew farming in SunyaniFormer Deputy Finance Minister Abena Osei-Asare has called on President Mahama to review the Cocoa Board Amendment Bill and use the government's two-thirds parliamentary majority responsibly, cautioning that such power must serve Ghanaians' interests and not negatively affect cocoa farmers' rights and livelihoods.
6 August 2026 · Joy Online →
Former Deputy Finance Minister Abena Osei-Asare has called on President Mahama to review the Cocoa Board Amendment Bill and use the government's two-thirds parliamentary majority responsibly, cautioning that such power must serve Ghanaians' interests and not negatively affect cocoa farmers' rights and livelihoods.
6 August 2026 · Joy Online →
Parliament adjourned sine die on Friday without reconsidering the Human Sexual Rights and Family Values Bill, 2026, despite the Speaker's assurance to the National Chief Imam that it would be revisited and passed before adjournment. During the session, Parliament passed several bills including the Ghana Cocoa Board Bill, 2026, guaranteeing cocoa farmers at least 70 per cent of the Free on Board export price, and the Excise Bill, 2026, abolishing excise taxes on locally manufactured fruit juices.
4 August 2026 · Joy Online →
The opposition New Patriotic Party has announced a nationwide demonstration on August 6, accusing the ruling government of undermining democratic principles and demanding the Attorney General withdraw criminal prosecutions of former NPP officials. The protest, titled "Democracy Under Attack," will involve collaboration with other political parties, civil society organisations, and youth movements, with petitions to be presented at the Supreme Court, Parliament, and the Presidency.
4 August 2026 · Daily Guide →
The Ghana Cocoa Board has begun a nationwide stakeholder engagement series following the passage of the Ghana Cocoa Board Bill, 2026, with the first meeting held in Accra bringing together farmer organisations, civil society, and licensed cocoa buyers to discuss provisions including COCOBOD's mandate, regulatory responsibilities, financing, producer pricing, farm protection, traceability, licensing, and a new farmer pension scheme.
4 August 2026 · Joy Online →
Parliament's Food, Agriculture and Cocoa Affairs Committee Chair Dr Godfred Seidu Jasaw defended the passage of the new Cocoa Bill under certificate of urgency, saying it was needed before the September 2026/2027 cocoa season to implement planned reforms on pricing and financing arrangements. The legislation aims to provide a stronger regulatory framework for the cocoa sector, which faces challenges including climate change, illegal mining, and declining productivity.
4 August 2026 · Joy Online →
The opposition New Patriotic Party has accused Ghana's NDC government of systematically undermining constitutional governance through judicial interference and selective justice, citing the Court of Appeal's acquittal of former MASLOC CEO Sedina Christine Tamakloe Attionu as evidence of a pattern threatening democratic credentials.
3 August 2026 · The Chronicle →
The Ga Mantse has led a high-level investment mission with business leaders from the United States and United Kingdom to secure strategic partnerships supporting Ghana's 24-hour economy agenda, engaging government and industry leaders on opportunities in healthcare, energy, finance and cocoa value addition. Key outcomes include agreements for constructing a 500-bed specialist children's hospital and 24-hour pharmacy facility at Korle Bu.
2 August 2026 · Joy Online →
Parliament concluded its Second Meeting by passing 12 bills spanning taxation, investment, maritime security, defence, justice, local governance, cocoa sector reforms and energy financing, as part of the government's agenda to strengthen public institutions and modernise key sectors.
1 August 2026 · Joy Online →
Parliament passed the Ghana Cocoa Board Bill, 2026 under certificate of urgency to establish a new legal framework for the Ghana Cocoa Board before the 2026/2027 cocoa season begins in September. The law will regulate the cocoa value chain, support cultivation, and undertake buying, selling and export of cocoa, while implementing reforms including a domestic financing model and guaranteed payment of 70 percent of the Free-on-Board price to cocoa farmers.
31 July 2026 · Daily Guide →
Parliament has approved the Ghana Cocoa Board Bill, 2026, which restructures the cocoa industry under a new governance framework and includes a statutory guarantee that cocoa farmers will receive not less than 70 per cent of the Free-On-Board price of cocoa. The legislation replaces the fragmented legal regime governing the sector with a single, modern framework to regulate, supervise and promote activities across the cocoa value chain.
31 July 2026 · Joy Online →
Cocoa farmers in Guan District, Oti Region have protested at a Ghana Cocoa Board office, demanding payment for beans sold to Licensed Buying Companies between November 2025 and February, citing months of delayed payments despite a government release of GH¢2.6 billion to facilitate settlements. The farmers have given a three-day ultimatum for payment, warning of further action if their demands are not met.
29 July 2026 · Joy Online →
Cocoa farmers from Guan District in Oti Region besieged the COCOBOD office in Hohoe to demand payment for cocoa beans delivered to Licensed Buying Companies between November and February. The farmers, who have not received payment despite the government's announcement of GH¢2.6 billion released to LBCs, have issued a three-day ultimatum threatening to return in larger numbers and occupy the premises if their concerns are not addressed.
28 July 2026 · Joy Online →
The Central Regional Director of COCOBOD says the Government is implementing policies to strengthen the cocoa sector and ensure farmers and the nation benefit. He noted that funds have been released for payment of cocoa beans purchased from farmers, and that those who sold cocoa before a recent producer price reduction should be paid the previous price of GH¢3,500 per bag.
27 July 2026 · Joy Online →
The Governor of the Bank of Ghana has endorsed COCOBOD's decision to replace syndicated loans with local market financing, saying it is a more sustainable approach that mobilises funds domestically to finance cocoa purchases and avoids the capital constraints that limit bank lending due to regulatory requirements.
22 July 2026 · Joy Online →
Italy is proposing a 3,000-hectare mechanised cocoa development zone in Ghana to expand local processing and value addition, with the Italian Ambassador leading a delegation from BF International to explore strategic partnerships with COCOBOD under the Cocoa Connect Initiative, which aims to shift Ghana's cocoa industry from raw bean exports to semi-finished and finished chocolate products.
21 July 2026 · Joy Online →
The Governor of the Bank of Ghana announced sweeping reforms to the rural banking sector, including its transition to community banking and introduction of urban community banks, aimed at expanding financial inclusion and supporting inclusive economic growth. The reforms were announced at the Rural Banking@50 Celebration event in Accra.
16 July 2026 · Joy Online →
The Ghana Cocoa Board has announced full settlement of GH¢162 million owed to individual holders of Cocoa Bills who did not participate in the Government's Domestic Debt Exchange Programme in 2023. COCOBOD said the payment resolves outstanding obligations that persisted due to financial challenges following debt restructuring.
15 July 2026 · The Chronicle →
The Ghana Cocoa Board has paid GH¢162 million in full settlement of outstanding obligations to individual holders of Cocoa Bills who did not participate in the government's Domestic Debt Exchange Programme. The payments were delayed following the 2023 DDEP implementation due to financial constraints but have now been completed.
15 July 2026 · Joy Online →
The Ghana Cocoa Board has warned that illegal mining (galamsey) could collapse the cocoa industry, with more than 100,000 acres of high-yield cocoa plantations destroyed across major cocoa-producing regions. The destruction is reducing export earnings, weakening the sector, and undermining COCOBOD's capacity to fund farmer welfare programmes.
14 July 2026 · Joy Online →
Three officers of the Kumasi Metropolitan Assembly sustained injuries on July 8 during a demolition exercise at Asafo to remove structures obstructing drains and waterways, when occupants of makeshift structures allegedly attacked the task force with stones and other objects. The Kumasi Mayor said the Assembly would continue enforcing environmental sanitation regulations and preventing flooding, and that the injured officers had reported the incident to police and were receiving medical attention.
10 July 2026 · Daily Guide →
Fiifi Boafo, former Head of Public Affairs at Ghana Cocoa Board, has criticized the government's Nkoko Nkitinkiti programme as a waste of state resources, arguing that distributing only a few birds to beneficiaries cannot create sustainable poultry businesses or deliver measurable economic benefits.
10 July 2026 · Joy Online →
The Ghana Cocoa Board failed to meet its self-imposed end-of-June deadline to clear more than GH¢6 billion owed to cocoa farmers and Licensed Buying Companies, leaving an estimated GH¢3.4 billion still outstanding, despite earlier assurances from the Board's Head of Public Affairs that arrears would be almost entirely settled by month-end.
7 July 2026 · Joy Online →
The Ghana Cocoa Board has released GH¢2.6 billion to Licensed Buying Companies to pay cocoa farmers across all cocoa-growing regions for the ongoing 2025/26 crop season and to clear outstanding arrears. Of the amount, approximately GH¢1.4 billion has been earmarked to settle remaining balances owed to farmers whose cocoa was taken on credit, with COCOBOD instituting monitoring mechanisms to ensure funds reach affected farmers directly.
2 July 2026 · The Chronicle →
Ghana's Cocoa Board has disbursed an additional GH¢2.6 billion to Licensed Buying Companies to settle outstanding payments to cocoa farmers, bringing total payouts this crop season to more than GH¢34.5 billion. About GH¢1.4 billion of the new funds is earmarked for farmers whose cocoa was purchased on credit.
2 July 2026 · Joy Online →
The Ghana Cocoa Board has released GH¢2.6 billion to Licensed Buying Companies to pay cocoa farmers for cocoa purchases, with approximately GH¢1.4 billion specifically allocated to clear remaining balances owed to farmers whose cocoa was purchased on credit. Since the start of the 2025/26 crop season, COCOBOD has paid a total of GH¢34.52 billion to LBCs for onward payment to cocoa farmers.
2 July 2026 · Joy Online →
The Ghana Cocoa Board has released GH¢2.6 billion to Licensed Buying Companies to facilitate payments to cocoa farmers, with approximately GH¢1.4 billion specifically allocated to clear remaining balances owed for cocoa purchased on credit. Since the start of the 2025/26 crop season, COCOBOD has paid a total of GH¢34.52 billion to Licensed Buying Companies for onward payment to cocoa farmers.
2 July 2026 · Joy Online →
The Ghana Cocoa Board has released GH¢2.6 billion to Licensed Buying Companies, with more than half earmarked to clear outstanding debts owed to cocoa farmers. The latest release brings total disbursements to Licensed Buying Companies since the start of the 2025/26 crop season to GH¢34.52 billion.
2 July 2026 · Business & Financial Times →
Former COCOBOD public affairs head Fiifi Boafo has accused the South African government of complicity in xenophobic attacks against foreign nationals, including Ghanaians, alleging the state has failed in its constitutional duty to protect residents. His criticism follows the fatal shooting of Ghanaian Bashiru Isak in Cape Town during xenophobic demonstrations.
2 July 2026 · Joy Online →
Cocoa farmers in the Ahafo Region have condemned ongoing cross-border smuggling of cocoa beans as a crisis threatening their livelihoods and Ghana's economy. The union president called for immediate state interventions to block smuggling channels and warned that blending inferior foreign beans with authentic Ghanaian produce will damage Ghana's reputation as a premium cocoa producer.
1 July 2026 · Joy Online →
Farmers in Sunyani Municipality fear that illegal mining operations moving into nearby communities could spread across farmlands and destroy cocoa cultivation and other agricultural activities. Unknown individuals have begun mining activities in nearby villages with excavators and heavy equipment, raising concerns about the loss of livelihoods for farming families.
26 June 2026 · Business & Financial Times →