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The Chief Executive Officer of the Ghana Cocoa Board (COCOBOD), Dr Randy Abbey, has disclosed that the National Intelligence Bureau (NIB) is investigating allegations involving the disappearance of approximately 200 containers belonging to the institution from the Tema Port.
According to Dr Abbey, the containers—containing items procured for the 2022/23, 2023/24, and 2024/25 cocoa seasons—have not been received at COCOBOD's stores.
He further revealed that, as a result of the missing containers, shipping lines in Ghana have blacklisted COCOBOD and its suppliers.
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Speaking during a working visit to the Western North Region, Dr Abbey said:
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As I speak, if COCOBOD has 200 containers stuck at the port, it means that for two years, shipping lines’ containers have been in Ghana without being returned. COCOBOD has gone ahead to procure the same items again, without clearing those currently at the port.
He continued:
Even for jute sacks, some suppliers have informed us that they have been blacklisted. I had to engage the shipping lines directly, urging them to reconsider their decision and assuring them of our plans to resolve the situation.
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Dr Abbey also alleged that the previous COCOBOD leadership committed to new contracts without settling past obligations:
The outgoing COCOBOD management signed contracts for the 2025/26 period without clearing previous consignments, and allocated 48 million cedis from the Ghana International Bank for the payment of jute sack suppliers.
His revelations come amid ongoing investigations by the Ministry of Energy and National Security operatives into over 1,300 missing containers reportedly belonging to the Electricity Company of Ghana (ECG).
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Meanwhile, Dr Abbey has stated that the government will, in August this year, announce a new cocoa farmgate price.
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He noted that the revised price is expected to surpass that of Ivory Coast, one of the world’s leading cocoa-producing nations.