Maximize Ghana�s Cocoa Earnings

A former Managing Director of Cocoa Marketing Company (CMC), Alhaji Mamah Gado Mohammed, has called on the company to maximize Ghana�s Cocoa earnings. Speaking at a Public lecture on the theme, �Harnessing the Gains of Cocoa Trade: A Reflection of the Monopoly of Cocoa Marketing Company�, Alhaji Gado Mohammed said it was significant for Ghanaians to note that the cocoa industry was completely dominated by consumers in 1961. He also stated that Ghana has gradually risen from the modest 439,159 tonnes for the 1960/61 crop year to a peak of 571,000 metric tonnes for 1964/65 crop year. He however said that after Ghana witnessed a phenomenal improvement in growth it rose to 846,385 for 2010/11. In his lecture, the former Managing Director of CMC also paid tribute to the pioneers of CMC namely, Messrs Kankam Boadu, Ben Yamoa, Uriar K. Hackman, Bill Koranteng, George Yeboah, E. Koram, Martin Dwamena and. C. A Coffie. He described the afore-mentioned pioneers as architects of the success of CMC. He said although CMC had made a headway with most of its challenges, the most threatening challenge faced by the company was a policy decision intended to liberalize the external marketing of Ghana�s cocoa. According to Alhaji Gado Mohammed, even though the external clients determined the price of chocolate products, CMC also had the right to bargain for a fair deal on the chocolate products. Alhaji Gado, who shared some of his rich experience, noted that there are many people who expect CMC to fail. �I am glad that through all the struggles, CMC has been able to stand tall,� he said. Alhaji commended CMC for its dedication and hard work in improving the chocolate sector and advised it to forge ahead in order to achieve success in the industry.