The National Democratic Congress’ Member of Parliament for Asunafo South, Eric Opoku, has accused Joseph Boahen Aidoo, the Chief Executive Officer of the Ghana Cocoa Board, of misleading the public about financial challenges he purportedly faced upon assuming office in January 2017.
In an interview on Joy FM’s Super Morning Show, Mr. Aidoo claimed that, when he took charge of Cocobod, there were no funds left from the $1.8 billion secured by the previous administration in 2016.
He attributed this to expenditures on cocoa purchases and operational costs.
Reacting to these statements on Asempa FM’s Ekosii Sen programme Thursday, Mr. Opoku, who is the Ranking Member on the Parliamentary Select Committee on Food, Agriculture and Cocoa, disputed Mr. Aidoo’s claims.
“They are all lies. The Cocobod CEO is telling lies. Cocobod’s coffers were not empty when the CEO took over in 2017” he said.
Highlighting discrepancies, Mr. Opoku referred to President Akufo Addo’s budget statement, which indicated that the loan taken in 2016/2017 was still in use.
He stressed the importance of transparency to Ghanaians.
“I have notes and evidence to show that everything he said was untrue. If the budget states this, and the President presented it in Parliament, then Mr. Aidoo is clearly lying about not finding any money” he noted.
Mr. Opoku therefore challenged the narrative by Mr. Aidoo, aiming to clarify the financial situation and ensure accountability to Ghanaians.
ALSO READ:
You’re still dazed after Asiedu Nketia beat you – COCOBOD CEO fires Ofosu Ampofo
COCOBOD CEO sets record straight on successes and challenges in Ghana’s cocoa sector [Listen]
There was no money when I assumed office in 2017 – Cocobod CEO
