By Samuel Ayammah
The Police in Bolgatanga, in the Upper East Region have intercepted a fully loaded articulated truck with 500 bags of cocoa which was allegedly being smuggled to Burkina Faso through the Kulungugu border in the Pusiga District.
This intervention is part of ongoing efforts to curb illegal activities and protect Ghana’s cocoa industry.
GBC NEWS gathered that on 31st July, 2024, the articulated truck with registration number AS 8088-12 loaded the cocoa beans in the Ashanti Region intending to convey the consignment to Burkina Faso through the Kulungugu border in the Pusiga District of the Upper East Region. Upon a tip-off, the Police in Bolgatanga, monitored the movement of the vehicle and intercepted it at Zuarungu, the capital of the Bolgatanga East District, a few meters away from the Zuarungu SHS.
A thorough examination by the Police showed a customs tracker number JT 701 and a transit sticker on the vehicle’s windscreen.
The inspected documents covering the goods said it was waste cocoa beans. On 1st August, 2024, a joint team made up of police, customs, NIB, Defense Intelligence and Plant Protection and Regulatory section of the Ghana Immigration Service, MOFA, clearing agents of the transporters of the goods assembled at the Zuarungu office of the Customs Division of the GRA to re-examine the goods.
After, interrogating the driver and his mates, it was discovered that the cocoa beans were from Gonokrom in the Dormaa Municipality of the Bono Region and being transported by one Wadraogo Brenmah on contact number +2250749923296 and only on transit through Kulungugu to Burkina Faso. The MOFA officials then requested for a phytosanitary certificate to ascertain the description given to the cocoa beans from the country of origin.
The said document was not readily available for inspection. On 2nd August, 2024, the phytosanitary certificate was produced by the clearing agents, suggesting that the goods were originating from La Cote D’ivoire. The MoFA officials said with the information on the phytosanitary certificate the cocoa beans are disease-free and should be allowed to be transported. They also mentioned that they were to contact their counterparts at the Osei-Kojokrom border for some background checks. Even though, the joint team was satisfied with the documents produced by the clearing agents, the matter was whispered into the ears of officials of COCOBOD.
The Director of Special Services, at the Ghana COCOBOD, Mr. Charles Amenyaglo, directed that the truck must not be allowed to go. On the 3rd of August, 2024, the Quality Control Officer at COCOBOB, Mr. Ernest Mensah and two others from COCOBOD arrived in Bolgatanga to re-examine the cocoa beans alleged to be waste cocoa beans. On the 6th of August, 2024, Ghana COCOBOD released a statement in response to a request by the Customs Division of the GRA to release the vehicle with the caption “Request for the release of cocoa intercepted by Bolga Police”.
The COCOBOD response statement emphasized that cocoa movement, be it good quality or waste, is regulated by them. In view of that, the police notified them of the interception and invited them to access the quality of the beans and related matters. The statement further said that on Saturday 3rd August, 2024, officials from the Quality Control Company of COCOBOD and Special Services visited Bolga where they examined the cocoa beans. The COCOBOD report of the examined cocoa beans concluded that the cocoa beans in the truck was not cocoa waste as indicated in the documentation but good quality cocoa beans from Ghana and not la Cote D’ivoire.
The COCOBOD team led by Mr. Ernest Mensah, however recommended that the consignment should be confiscated and subjected to a comprehensive analysis to confirm the quality and origin of the cocoa beans. Also, the consignment should be transported to the nearest appropriate warehouse for reconditioning to prevent any further deterioration of the beans, especially considering the high moisture content observed and thorough and proper investigation should be conducted to determine the exact origin and the intended destination of the consignment, ensuring all involved parties are held accountable and any potential smuggling operations are uncovered. The articulated truck as at the time GBC NEWS put this report together, is still parked at the Zuarungu Customs Office premises.
