Bold claim: Clean up COCOBOD now—Randy Abbey is best positioned to fix the mess left by the previous administration. But here's where it gets controversial: the reform work at Ghana Cocoa Board (COCOBOD) has sparked a heated debate, and critics are watching closely to see if the new leadership can deliver real change.
James Agbey, identified as a National Democratic Congress (NDC) operative, is urging Ghanaians to back ongoing reforms at COCOBOD and to give Chief Executive Officer Dr. Randy Abbey space to restructure the institution. In a statement released on Saturday, February 21, 2026, Agbey acknowledged public concern about COCOBOD’s operations while warning against moves that could derail the reform push.
“The recent brouhaha surrounding COCOBOD’s operations continues to attract widespread attention and scrutiny,” he said.
“While we cannot deny that COCOBOD is in a form of crisis, we must not allow those who created the problems to derail the restoration agenda and the rejuvenation efforts,” Agbey added.
Agbey attributes COCOBOD’s current difficulties to accumulated issues from the New Patriotic Party (NPP) administration between 2017 and 2024. He claims that, by the end of 2024, COCOBOD carried a cumulative debt of about GH¢32.9 billion and a negative equity of roughly GH¢3.9 billion, meaning liabilities outweighed assets.
“That’s the real state of COCOBOD that the NPP left behind and handed over to Dr. Randy Abbey; he is doing a commendable job cleaning up the mess,” he stated.
The NDC operative also alleged procurement irregularities under the prior administration, including claims that some suppliers bought chemicals for $15 and resold them to COCOBOD for $80. He noted that the issue would require further investigation.
Agbey further described a coordinated effort to undermine COCOBOD’s leadership through misinformation and political attacks. “We’ve witnessed active campaigns to spread lies merely to discredit COCOBOD’s leadership and derail the ongoing transformation toward a corruption-free, performance-driven organization,” he said.
He accused certain actors in Ghana’s political landscape of opposing Abbey’s leadership simply because they view him as an outsider, alleging that they plant scandalous and fabricated reports to mislead the public and distract management. “These are calculated moves by reform opponents who feel threatened by transparency, accountability, and change,” Agbey asserted, adding that reported protests against COCOBOD leadership are part of attempts to sow public discontent.
Despite these challenges, Agbey pointed to improvements in COCOBOD’s performance indicators, noting progress in cocoa production and marketing in 2025. He claimed the organization has seen the adoption of more effective management practices to address the prior mess.
He urged the public to grant the leadership time to deliver results, emphasizing that sustained reform requires patience and broad support. “Randy Abbey is the person to turn COCOBOD around, and he is on that path. Let’s back him to deliver,” he concluded.
Controversial question for readers: Do you agree that focusing reform on a single leader can drive meaningful change, or should multiple leadership changes and broader structural reforms accompany such efforts? Share your thoughts in the comments.
