The Minister for Roads and Highways, Kwame Governs Agbodza, has cited GHS23 billion cocoa road contracts awarded between 2023 and 2024 as a major contributor to the current challenges facing Ghana’s cocoa sector.

Speaking on the floor of Parliament, Mr Agbodza explained that during this period, COCOBOD lost focus on cocoa production while overseeing the cocoa road improvement programme.

He described the management of the projects as mishandled, which had a dire impact on productivity and the overall performance of the sector.

In response, the government has transferred full responsibility for cocoa-related road projects to the Ministry of Roads and Highways, allowing COCOBOD to concentrate solely on its core mandate of cocoa production.

Minister Agbodza emphasised that the reforms are aimed at restoring stability and productivity to Ghana’s cocoa industry, ensuring that both farmers and the wider economy benefit from improved management of cocoa roads and resources.