A Press Release From COCOBOD In Reaction To Allegations Of Nepotism And Money Laundering
Our attention has been drawn to a document circulating on several online and social
media platforms purported to emanate from the Financial Intelligence Centre, Ghana,
which alleges wrong doing by COCOBOD awarding a contract for the procurement of
Transform Akate Insecticide from Agri-Plus Horizon Farm Limited through the sole
sourcing method.
The document further alleges that there is suspicion that the decision by COCOBOD to
sole source the contract to Agri-Plus may have been founded on the grounds of nepotism
and / or trade based money laundering.
Sole Sourcing
We wish to state that the decision to sole source insecticides and other chemicals for
COCOBOD operations is based on COCOBOD’s need for specific purposes. COCOBOD only
procures insecticides or chemicals that have been tested and certified by the Cocoa
Research Institute of Ghana (CRIG).
It should therefore be noted that different insecticides have different active ingredients
(the killing agent), different levels of concentration of active ingredients, different rates
of applications per hectare of cocoa farm and different manufacturing sources.
Some products have systemic effect while others take effect on contact with the insect.
Some products are also formulated as cocktails and have both systemic and contact
properties combined.
A company that holds the CRIG certificate for a particular product has proprietary right
in the product and consequently COCOBOD can procure the product from only that
company.
At the beginning of each crop season COCOBOD decides on the various insecticide and
chemicals to be procured for the season based on the projected threats to the crop for
that year. The insecticide application is varied periodically to reduce the chances of the
insects developing resistance to a particular insecticide.
In the case of Transform Akate Insecticide mentioned in the document, Agriplus Horizon
Farms Limited is the company that holds the CRIG certificate for the product.
Approval was, therefore, sought from the Public Procurement Authority to procure the
product amongst others through the sole sourcing method for COCOBOD’s operations.
Nepotism
We wish to state categorically that the suspicion that the decision by COCOBOD to sole
source the contract to Agri-Plus may have been founded on grounds of nepotism is
completely baseless and untrue.
The Chief Executive of Ghana Cocoa Board, Hon Joseph Boahen Aidoo is not in any way
related to Joseph Seth Aidoo Junior mentioned in the document in relation to Agri-Plus
Limited. The said Joseph Seth Aidoo Junior is neither a son of Hon Joseph Boahen Aidoo
nor are they related in any way.
We therefore urge the general public not to give the allegations contained in the said
document any weight.
SIGNED
FIIFI BOAFO
HEAD OF PUBLIC AFFAIRS