Dr Peter Boamah Otokunor is Director of Presidential Initiatives in Agriculture and Agribusiness,
Director of Presidential Initiatives in Agriculture and Agribusiness, Dr Peter Boamah Otokunor, has alleged that funds originally earmarked for the education of cocoa farmers’ children were diverted to road construction in non-producing areas.
Addressing a gathering of farmers at Jejeti in the Atiwa East District, Dr Otokunor sought to explain the interruption of the cocoa scholarship scheme, a vital social safety net for rural agricultural families.
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In a snippet shared on X by JoyNews on February 28, 2026, Dr Otokunor alleged that the previous administration abandoned the traditional practice of awarding scholarships to the wards of cocoa farmers.
Instead, he claimed the financial resources were redirected to settle debts owed to contractors for road projects situated outside of Ghana’s cocoa-growing belts.
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“We used to give cocoa farmers scholarships, but when the previous government came to power, they stopped and used the money to pay contractors to construct roads in areas where we do not grow cocoa,” Dr Otokunor stated to the farmers.
His comments come in the wake of widespread agitation from farmers and stakeholders in the cocoa sector due to COCOBOD facing severe financial distress.
The situation led to a delay in payments to farmers and a subsequent 28.6% slash in farmgate prices to GH¢2,587 per bag.
The situation has also forced COCOBOD to slash staff salaries by 10-20% pay cut, according to reports.
watch video below
“We used to give cocoa farmers scholarships, but when the previous government came to power, they stopped and used the money to pay contractors to construct roads in areas where we do not grow cocoa.”
Dr. Peter Boamah Otokunor, Director of Presidential Initiatives in Agriculture… pic.twitter.com/Z5zwHxWuU9
— JoyNews (@JoyNewsOnTV) February 28, 2026
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