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On Thursday October 8, 2020, Parliament passed Ghana’s COCOBOD Amendment Bill 2017 to shift the oversight responsibility for COCOBOD from the Ministry of Finance to the Ministry of Agriculture.
The House passed the legislation without a quorum; with less than 30 MP on the ground.
The Committee, by majority decision, recommended that the House adopt its report and approve it in accordance with article 106 of the 1992 Constitution and the House rules.
The bill seeks to amend section 39 of PNDCL 81, to confer ministerial responsibility for COCOBOD activities to the Honorable Minister responsible for Agriculture.
During deliberations, the committee noted that “the envisaged change in ministerial responsibility under the law is to adequately focus cocoa production as the main function of the board.”
He further stated that “it is imperative that the Minister responsible for Agriculture has the responsibility to oversee the Ghana Cocoa Board and matters related to the production of cocoa as an agricultural product”, in view of the fact that cocoa production is low. competition from the Agriculture sector.
A statement signed by the Chairman of the Committee on Constitutional, Legal and Parliamentary Affairs, Hon Ben Abdallah Banda, indicated that the commission is aware of the fact that COCOBOD’s functions go beyond the production of cash crops.
Ministerial responsibilities under the law include approval of prices for cocoa, coffee, and shea to be paid to farmers.
The Board is also responsible for the processing and marketing of these crops.
Having critically examined the bill, the committee concluded that “the amendment is appropriate and would enhance the ministerial accountability of the Ghana Cocoa Board, and would reposition COCOBOD to achieve the goal of producing 1 million tons of cocoa annually,” it noted the notice.
