The Minority Caucus in Parliament has petitioned investigative bodies to probe the operations of the Ghana Cocoa Board (COCOBOD), specifically targeting its Acting Deputy Chief Executive Officer in charge of Finance and Administration, Ato Boateng, over alleged conflict of interest and abuse of office.
According to the Minority, Mr. Boateng is leveraging his current position to favour Atlas Commodities Limited, a private company he previously led as Chief Executive Officer.
They allege that the company has been operating in government-owned warehouses without the required licences.
The Caucus further claims that COCOBOD has deliberately deprived the state-owned Produce Buying Company (PBC) of critical funds while allegedly channelling support to Atlas Commodities to sustain its operations.
Addressing the media on February 23, 2026, the Member of Parliament for Old Tafo, Vincent Ekow Assafuah, described the situation as a conflict-of-interest scheme that has crippled PBC and worsened the plight of cocoa farmers.
“Cocoa farmers are sacrificing daily to sustain the economy. Regulatory leadership must not create even the appearance of benefiting from the same system they supervise.”
He further alleged financial impropriety involving state resources.
“You cannot create a system whereby you will deprive the state from operating, to earn margins to be able to give to the state so that the state can also pay its workers, and directly or indirectly syphone those monies into the pockets of an individual, which individual is Mr. Ato Boateng.”
The Minority then formally petitioned the Office of the Special Prosecutor (OSP) to undertake a full criminal investigation and also petitioned the Commission on Human Rights and Administrative Justice (CHRAJ) to determine whether there has been a constitutional conflict of interest and regulatory capture.
“We demand a full criminal investigation by the Office of the Special Prosecutor. We demand a constitutional conflict of interest determination by CHRAJ.”
They are also calling for a forensic audit of warehouse registrations and cocoa movement records, as well as full disclosure from COCOBOD, National Security and other relevant authorities.
“We’re also demanding action in accordance with the law if wrongdoing is established. If there’s no wrongdoing, investigation will clear the air, but if wrongdoing is confirmed accountability must follow,” they stressed.
On February 19, the Minority Caucus, led by Vincent Ekow Assafuah submitted petitions to the Office of the Special Prosecutor (OSP) as well as Commission on Human Rights and Administrative Justice (CHRAJ) on this matter.
The allegations come at a time when cocoa farmers are facing financial strain following a reported 28 percent reduction in the producer price; from GH¢3,625 to GH¢2,587 per bag in February 2026.
The are also reports that some farmers have not been paid for beans supplied since November 2025.
The Minority’s demands follow a different push for the dismissal of COCOBOD Chief Executive Officer, Randy Abbey, whom they accuse of gross incompetence and failing to implement a viable turnaround strategy for the cocoa sector.
