Francis Cyril Asiedu, a former District Extension Coordinator with Ghana Cocoa Board (COCOBOD), has testified in defense of the controversial Lithovit fertilizer, asserting that it significantly improved cocoa yields.
Appearing before the Accra High Court, Asiedu gave his testimony under cross-examination by Samuel Codjoe, Counsel for Dr. Stephen Kwabena Opuni, the former COCOBOD Chief Executive.
The case, presided over by Justice Aboagye Tandoh, Court of Appeal Judge, also involves Seidu Agongo and Agricult Ghana Ltd. as the second and third accused parties.
The trial centers on allegations surrounding the procurement and effectiveness of Lithovit fertilizer.
Asiedu, who is the eighth defense witness, disputed claims made in an official COCOBOD report, arguing that farmers in the Kade district where he worked observed noticeable improvements in their cocoa yields after using Lithovit.
These findings were consistently included in his reports to COCOBOD’s regional offices, which were then forwarded to the headquarters.
During cross-examination, Asiedu acknowledged that COCOBOD had used other liquid fertilizers, such as Sidalco, prior to Lithovit.
However, he insisted that farmers did not report similar success with these fertilizers, particularly with those supplied after Lithovit’s suspension.
Asiedu expressed confusion over the suspension of Lithovit, noting that both he and his fellow extension officers were puzzled by the decision, especially given the positive feedback from farmers and his own observations.
He firmly stood by the efficacy of Lithovit in improving cocoa yields, disputing the findings of Dr. Yaw Adu Ampomah, the former Deputy Chief Executive in charge of Agronomy and Quality Control at COCOBOD.
Dr. Ampomah’s report, referenced in the court proceedings, claimed that tests conducted by the Ghana Standards Authority and the University of Ghana’s Chemistry Department found Lithovit to be “highly diluted” and lacking in proven efficacy.
In response, Asiedu maintained that “the perception of farmers, reports from extension officers, and my own observations” all attested to the fertilizer’s effectiveness.
He also clarified that Lithovit was applied at the yield stage, rather than at the nursery or early growth stages, as suggested by Ampomah’s report.
When further questioned, Asiedu confirmed that regional rallies with farmers and fellow extension coordinators across various districts also revealed similar positive feedback regarding Lithovit’s impact.
He reiterated that these observations and supporting documentation from regional offices were consistently submitted to COCOBOD’s headquarters.
The trial continues as the defense presents additional witnesses to counter the allegations regarding the fertilizer’s efficacy.
