The Chief Executive Officer of the Ghana Cocoa Board (COCOBOD), Dr. Randy Abbey, has cautioned cocoa farmers against leasing or selling their farmlands to illegal miners, warning that such actions threaten the very foundation of Ghana’s cocoa industry.
Speaking at a farmers’ rally in Nkawie in the Atwima Nwabiagya Municipality as part of May Day celebrations, Dr. Abbey expressed deep concern over the increasing destruction of cocoa farms by illegal mining activities, describing it as a national crisis that demands immediate attention.
“The cocoa tree is not protected, and that is why people can indiscriminately cut them down under the pretext of mining,” this must stop. Farmers must not allow their lands to become mining grounds,” he lamented.
Dr. Abbey announced that COCOBOD is engaging the Attorney General’s Department to propose amendments to outdated legislation that currently provides insufficient protection for cocoa farms.
The goal, he said, is to introduce stringent legal measures that would make it illegal not only for miners to destroy cocoa trees but also for farmers to willingly offer their farms for mining or other unauthorized purposes.
He criticized existing laws for allowing individuals with prospecting permits to exploit legal loopholes and encroach on cocoa farms.
“These laws have outlived their relevance and no longer reflect the realities on the ground. We urgently need reforms to protect Ghana’s cocoa sector,” he stressed.
Dr. Abbey reaffirmed COCOBOD’s commitment to defending the cocoa industry, Ghana’s economic backbone from further damage, and called on all stakeholders to support the initiative.
He emphasized that cocoa farming is not only vital to the national economy but also a legacy for future generations.
“The temptation for short-term financial gain must not override our responsibility to preserve our lands and secure the future of the cocoa sector,” he urged.
