The Deputy Director of Research at the Ghana Cocoa Board (COCOBOD), Eric Amengor, has indicated that the government is considering stricter sanctions to curb cocoa smuggling, including a proposed 10-year prison sentence and the establishment of a special cocoa tribunal.
He explained that a new bill currently before Cabinet also proposes fines of up to 200,000 penalty units for individuals involved in cocoa smuggling.
Speaking at the EU Deforestation Regulation multi-stakeholder engagement in Accra on Tuesday May 26, Mr Amengor said the reforms are aimed at strengthening enforcement and speeding up prosecution of cocoa-related offences.
“Yes, there is a new Cocoa Board law. We are reviewing our laws and making it very punitive for anyone who attempts to smuggle cocoa in or out of Ghana. We have proposed a 10-year jail term and 200,000 penalty units or both.
“We also intend to propose a cocoa tribunal to ensure that cocoa cases are dealt with as quickly as possible,” he stated.
Mr. Amengor further revealed that COCOBOD is in discussions with the Ministry of Finance and local banks to secure domestic financing for cocoa purchases during the 2026/2027 crop season.
“Instead of going for the syndicated loan, we are in talks with the Ministry of Finance and the banks. This 2026/2027 season, we intend to borrow locally to support cocoa purchases,” he added.
