The Industrial and Commercial Workers’ Union (ICU-Ghana) and the General Agricultural Workers’ Union (GAWU) have strongly opposed proposed 10-20% salary cuts for COCOBOD management, labeling the move as unlawful and demoralizing. This comes despite the unions’ support for the government’s cocoa sector reforms aimed at stabilizing the industry.
According to Joy News, the unions welcomed measures such as allocating 50% of Ghana’s cocoa output to local processors, offloading COCOBOD’s legacy debt, and adjusting producer prices in line with global market trends. These reforms are expected to boost local processing, create jobs, and improve financial stability.
However, ICU-Ghana and GAWU argue that the salary cuts were implemented without proper consultation, breaching labor laws and collective bargaining agreements. “The decision to reduce salaries is totally unacceptable,” said Morgan Ayawine of ICU-Ghana and Andrews Addoquaye Tagoe of GAWU in a joint statement.
The unions demand an immediate reversal of the salary cuts and renewed engagement with management. They emphasize that a motivated workforce is crucial for COCOBOD’s operations and the long-term sustainability of the cocoa sector.
COCOBOD has faced financial pressure in recent years, with rising debts and declining productivity. The government’s reforms aim to restore confidence in Ghana’s cocoa sector.
The unions’ stance has been echoed by some cocoa farmers, who argue that the focus should be on restoring the guaranteed cocoa farm-gate price rather than cutting management salaries.
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Author: Korkor Anumu
