Dr. John Kingsley Krugu, a cocoa farmer, former CEO of the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), and current New Patriotic Party (NPP) Parliamentary Candidate for Zebilla, has taken aim at COCOBOD and the government, accusing them of betraying the very farmers who sustain Ghana’s billion-dollar cocoa economy.
His frustration comes on the heels of COCOBOD’s recent announcement of a 4.07% increase in the farmgate price of a 64kg bag of cocoa—an increment he described as “a slap in the face” of cocoa farmers.
Speaking candidly on A1 Radio, Dr. Krugu challenged the rationale behind the modest price adjustment, especially when the authorities cited the Ghana cedi’s appreciation as justification. “If the cedi has indeed appreciated, why haven’t ministers or COCOBOD executives taken pay cuts?” he questioned.
In a bold comparison, Dr. Krugu alleged that COCOBOD CEO Randy Abbey takes home over GH¢70,000 a month, while the average cocoa farmer is handed just GH¢128 more per bag—an amount he says doesn’t even begin to cover the rising costs of production. “The cost of labour, inputs, and transport far exceeds that figure,” he lamented. “This is not support—it’s exploitation.”
Dr. Krugu’s criticism doesn’t come from the sidelines—he is himself a cocoa farmer and speaks from lived experience. He warned that the government’s failure to ensure fair pricing is driving farmers into the hands of illegal mining companies, who lure them with quick payouts in exchange for their land. “Cocoa farms are being destroyed. Farmers are desperate and vulnerable because they aren’t being valued,” he said.
The NPP parliamentary hopeful also called out the government for backtracking on its own promise to raise the cocoa price to GH¢6,000 per tonne. “They promised it seven months ago. Where is it now?” he demanded.
Beyond the politics, Dr. Krugu’s message struck a chord of national concern—without real support and fair compensation, Ghana’s cocoa sector risks collapse. He described the government’s and COCOBOD’s attitude as one of “arrogance and betrayal,” warning that the goodwill of farmers will not last forever.
“What is COCOBOD without the cocoa farmer?” he asked pointedly. “This isn’t just about pricing. It’s about respect, sustainability, and justice.”
As calls grow louder for a more transparent and farmer-focused cocoa pricing regime, Dr. Krugu’s intervention puts a human face to an issue that sits at the heart of Ghana’s rural economy—and at the crossroads of policy failure and political accountability.
