The Chairman of the Ghana Cocoa Board (Cocobod), Mr Samuel Ofosu Ampofo, has called for enhanced collaboration between Cocobod and the Regional Security Councils to help curb the rising cases of cocoa and farm input smuggling across the country’s borders.

He made the appeal during a three-day working visit to the Western Region, where he held a meeting with the Western Regional Minister, Joseph Nelson.

Mr. Ampofo expressed concern that smuggling remains one of the biggest threats facing Cocobod, explaining that the illegal trade has expanded beyond cocoa beans to include farm inputs that Cocobod distributes to farmers at no cost.

He revealed that this year alone, farmers have received free inputs valued at 5.8 million dollars — an investment he fears is being undermined by those who divert the resources or sell their cocoa to smugglers.

The Cocobod Chairman stressed that closer cooperation with regional security structures will enable security agencies to better understand the smuggling networks, track the distribution of inputs, and establish stronger monitoring systems to curb the illicit trade.

Responding to the concerns, Western Regional Minister Joseph Nelson acknowledged that a major challenge has been the existing communication and coordination gaps between Cocobod and the Regional Coordinating Councils.

He emphasised the urgent need to address these gaps to ensure a unified and effective anti-smuggling response.

In a related development, Cocobod’s Deputy Chief Executive in Charge of Operations, Dr. James Kofi Kutsoati, announced ongoing reforms in the cocoa inputs distribution system.

According to him, Cocobod is transitioning its corporatised farmer groups into a task-force model aimed at strengthening the management of cocoa diseases and pests.