Fresh pressure is mounting on the leadership of the Ghana Cocoa Board (COCOBOD) as the Member of Parliament for Old Tafo, Vincent Ekow Assafuah, Esq., petitions its Governing Board to act over what he describes as deepening governance and conflict-of-interest concerns within the cocoa sector.
In a February 25, 2026 petition, the MP asked the Board to withhold the confirmation of Mr. Ato Boateng as Deputy Chief Executive in charge of Finance and Administration and to direct him to temporarily step aside, citing “serious and ongoing investigations, public interest concerns, and emerging governance issues” . He argued that allowing Mr. Boateng to remain in office under the current circumstances is “untenable and increasingly incompatible with the principles of good corporate governance and administrative fairness” .
At the center of the dispute are allegations that Atlas Commodities Limited has been operating within warehouses registered under Produce Buying Company (PBC), contrary to COCOBOD regulations. According to the petition, each warehouse is required to be registered under and used exclusively by a specific Licensed Buying Company, and any deviation “constitutes a serious regulatory breach and raises grave concerns regarding compliance, oversight, and enforcement” .
The MP further pointed to Mr. Boateng’s previous role as Chief Executive Officer of Atlas Commodities, stating that the overlap between his past private sector position and current oversight responsibilities gives rise to “legitimate concerns of conflict of interest, regulatory compromise, preferential treatment, and institutional exposure” He cited Article 284 of Ghana’s 1992 Constitution, which bars public officers from placing themselves in positions where personal interests conflict with official duties .
The claims appear to have been reinforced by developments at Produce Buying Company, which has reportedly directed Atlas Commodities and other Licensed Buying Companies to vacate its depots and storage facilities nationwide, insisting that its warehouses are to be used strictly in line with regulatory approvals.
In concluding his petition, Hon. Assafuah stressed that his action was “made in good faith, in the public interest, and in furtherance of sound corporate governance principles,” insisting that it is “not punitive in intent, but precautionary” . He urged the Board to “withhold the confirmation” of Mr. Boateng’s appointment and to “formally direct” him to “temporarily step aside from office, in the interest of transparency, institutional integrity, and the preservation of public confidence” , adding that the matter must be treated with “urgency, seriousness, and objectivity.”
Source: Purefmonlinegh.com || Evans Osei-Bonsu || 2026
