Amid growing concerns over who will occupy the COCOBOD CEO seat at Cocoa House, Mr. Samuel Tobi, the 2015 Best Young Cocoa Farmer from Assin Fosu, has called for experience to be prioritized over any other criteria.
According to Mr. Tobi, key attributes for the next CEO should include extensive knowledge of the cocoa industry, expertise in price negotiations, innovation, and a willingness to engage with cocoa farmers.
He described these qualities as pre-requisites for the sustainable growth of Ghana’s cocoa sector.
Recalling the period before 2017, Mr. Tobi expressed regret over the neglect of President John Mahama’s flagship “Youth in Cocoa” programme, launched in 2014.
He lamented that the collapse of numerous youth cocoa groups across the country contributed to the rise in illegal mining activities (galamsey).
“The youth felt there were no support services for them, so they abandoned cocoa farming and turned to gold digging,” he explained.
The young and enthusiastic farmer made these remarks in an interview with a freelance journalist in Assin Fosu, Nana Kwaku Dei, when asked about the kind of leader he envisions for COCOBOD.
Tobi also bemoaned the unsatisfactory state of the once-vibrant Assinman Young Cocoa Farmers Association, which he said was a key driver of youth mobilization into cocoa farming in the country.
He emphasized the need for a CEO who not only understands the challenges faced by cocoa farmers but is also willing to listen to the youth in the sector.
According to Mr. Tobi, when he quizzed some COCOBOD staff in his locality, it was clear that what he and his colleague farmers have imagined was not different from their expectations.
Tobi believes that a knowledgeable leader, who associates well with farmers and the youth, is the right choice to drive the fortunes of Ghana’s cocoa sector forward. ” With these qualities means prosperity for the sector,” he concluded.
