Dr. Francis Baah, Director of Research at the Ghana Cocoa Board (COCOBOD) says shortfalls in cocoa production cannot be blamed on any particular input or management and agronomy practices.
According to him, there are basket of factors that contribute to cocoa yields, hence no signal of agronomic, husbandry or management practice can take the credit.
He said these basket of factors include the expression between the relationship of the plant and environment – rainfall, nature of the soil, farmer practices and crop protection against pests and diseases, fertilisers and other variables.
Dr Baah was testifying under oath as second subpoenaed witness (DW2) for Seidu Agongo (A2) and Agricult Ghana Limited (A3), before the Accra High Court, presided over by Justice Aboagye Tandoh.
While being led to give his evidence-in-chief by Benson Nutsukpui, counsel for Agongo and Agricult, he said: “I will not blame my Chief Executive because he doesn’t have the control over the elements and don’t even control the world price.”
The witness made the statement in response to a question by the counsel, as to why his Chief Executive, Joseph Boahen Aidoo, should not be blamed for the fall from 1million metric ton in 2021 to 682, 268.94 metric tons in 2022.
Furthermore, Lawyer Benson said between 2022/23 and 2016/17, cocoa production were 656,139.87 and 969510.69 respectively, creating a difference of 313,370.82 metric tons.
He, therefore, asked the witness whether anybody has been held responsible for the two years, 2021/22 and 2022/23 shortfalls in cocoa production, and the response was “My lord, I don’t know whether anybody has been held responsible.”
The questions were in line with accusation that Lithovit fertiliser supplied by Agongo and his company Agricult to COCOBOD affected cocoa production, as it was sub-standard and dangerous to the environment.
Again, lithovit didn’t go through the full testing, due to the intervention by Dr Stephen Kwabena Opuni (A1), former Chief Executive of COCOBOD.
A1 (first accused) was alleged to have told Scientists to breach the testing protocol of agro-chemicals, for which lithovit fertiliser also benefitted.
However, this witness, who at the assumption of office by Dr Opuni was the office manager claimed otherwise.
The witness told the court that he cannot remember there was a meeting to that effect as claimed by the prosecution, but he recalled that there was a meeting and the subject matter was bad press or bad publication about Dr Franklin Amoah, a former Executive Director of the Cocoa Research Institute of Ghana (CRIG).
He said the publication about Dr. Amoah was being serialised by either Ghana post or P&P, alleging that amorous relationship between Dr Amoah and a certain female staff of CRIG and Dr Opuni at the time wanted firsthand information from Dr Amoah.
The three are facing 27 charges of defrauding by false pretence, corruption of public officer, stealing and contravention of Public Procurement Act. They have all pleaded not guilty and are on bail.
The following are some questions and answers:
Q: Dr Baah, on 3rd December, 2018 Dr Alfred Arthur in answer to the question “It is part of the duties of the extension officers of CHED to report to COCOBOD any complain of the farmers. He answered that is so my lord. “Is he correct?
A: Yes, my lord that statement is correct.
Q: While you were the head of CHED was the import of that statement that the extension officers reporting any farmers concern is also valid?
A: Farmers concerns come to us through many channels.
Q: Sir, on the 3rd of October, 2018 Dr Franklin Amoah told this court that a meeting was held in August 2014 and at that meeting James Kofi Dugbatse, as his capacity as the Deputy Chief Executive of COCOBOD, he himself, Dr. Franklin Amoah as Executive Director of CRIG and you, Dr. Baah as Executive Director of CHED met A1, Dr Stephen Kwabena Opuni and some Scientists. Do you remember that meeting?
A: My Lord, I cannot recall there was a meeting but my lord, I recall a meeting that myself, Dr Amoah and others, who were not Scientists. The subject matter was bad press or bad publication about Dr Amoah whose publication is serialised.
I believe it was Ghana Post or P&P alleging, my Lord, some supposedly amorous relationship between Dr Amoah and certain female staff of CRIG. And the CE wanted a first hand information from Dr Amoah.
Q: Now was the Scientists, Mr. Andrew Yaw Akrofi, at this meeting?
A: My lord, I can’t recall because if you look at the subject matter.
Q: Dr Amoah alleged that at this meeting, Dr Opuni instructed the Scientists to shorten the testing period. Were you at the meeting?
A. I’m absolutely clear in my mind that was not in a meeting that…
Q. Were you at any meeting where you served as the office manager that Dr Opuni instructed that the test period of lithovit be shortened?
A. My Lord, I can’t recall being present at any meeting where that subject matter was discussed.
A. While you were the Executive Director of CHED, did any issue about the testing of lithovit ever come to your attention in all your meetings, training, board meeting?
A. My lord, the separation of duties at COCOBOD divisions and its subsidiaries is clear as it is. The testing of all agrochemicals including fertilisers and any other issues, therefore, is only in the bosom of the CRIG.
Q. Yesterday, the court ordered you to produce some documents?
A. Yes on the instructions of Chief Executive, I have it.
Q. Now Dr Baah, you went to CHED in 2014, please cast your mind back and tell the court the list of fertilisers that were distributed to farmers for 2014/15?
A. Asasewura, cocoa feed, Sidalco liquid fertilizer, Fert Agra, lithovit, natural organic fertiliser. My lord these readily come to mind.
Q. The court ordered you to provide the list of production over the years?
A. Yes.
Q. It is signed by you?
A. Yes. As directed my lord.
Q. And dated March 21, 2024?
A. Yes. I got instruction to do it this morning.
Benson: we want to tender the document
Codjoe: no objection
Prosecution: no objection
Court: the data of cocoa production dated 21st March, 2024 is tendered by counsel for A2&A3, same is admitted and marked as Exhibit 141/A2&A3
Q. In 2012/13, the total production of cocoa was 835,466.19 metric tons that was produced by COCOBOD?
A. My lord that is correct.
Q. And in 213/14 it went to 896…
A. That reflect
Q: That shows a jump
A. Yes.
Q. Would you attribute that to any particular fertiliser?
A. My lord no. The production figure of 2013/14. The yield we get from cocoa it is an expression between the relationship between the plant and environment.
The environment include rain fall, nature of the soil, farmer practices and crop protection against pests and diseases, fertilisers and other variables.
Q. Now we are at 2014/15, the production is 740,254.06 tons. That is correct.
A. Yes that is correct
Q. There was a steep in production, will you attribute that to anyone particular fertiliser?
A. My lord I will not.
Q. It went up a 778,043.38 that is correct
A. That is correct
Q. Would you attribute that rise to any particular fertiliser?
A. My lord I will not.
Q. In 2016/17, where were you?
A. My lord, I was…
Q. In 2016/17 planting year?
A. 2016, from January to December I was the Executive Director of CHED.
Q. Which fertilisers did you distribute to the farmers in 2016?
A. My lord this one it will difficult for me to tell the list of fertilizers that were used that year because sometimes changes.
Q. But cast your mind to 2016/17, it included lithovit fertiliser
A. Yes it is.
Q. Again no particular fertiliser can claim increase in yield or can claim to be responsible for that increase in yield. That is correct?
A. My lord, that is correct and if I may also addd, no signal Agronomic husbandry or management practice can lay claim to increase in production.
Q. Sir, let go to 2021 the yield jumped to 1,047,384.94. that is correct?
A. My lord that is correct.
Q. Then the following year, 2021/22 it fell almost by 40% to 683,268.94. that is correct?
A. That is correct
Q. Sir would it be right for anybody sitting anywhere to say that it was as a result of the fertilisers that were bought by your Chief Executive in 2021/22, would that be acceptable?
A. That would not be the case. It is a combination of myriads of facts.
Q. Please explain to this court why your Chief Executive should not be blamed for the fall from 1million to 682, 268.94?
A. My lord, I will not blame my Chief Executive because he doesn’t have the control over the elements and don’t even control the world price.
Q. Would you attribute the fall in production from 2020/21 cocoa season to 2021/22 cocoa season to any fertiliser procured under the Chief Executive at the time?
A. My lord I will not. The changes of the vagaries in production figure is pinched on bucket of facts.
Q. Now sir, 2022/23 it fell further to 656,139.87 that is true?
A. That is true.
Q. Who would you blame for that?
A. My lord, I’m not in the position to blame anybody.
Q. Which fertiliser do you blame for that.
A. I blame no input.
Q. When you take out of 2922/23, which is 656,139.87 from the production of 2916/17, which is 969510.69 you will get 313,370.82 metric tons?
A. Yes
Q. Sir has anybody been held responsible for the two year 2021/22 and 2022/23?
A. My lord, I don’t know anybody been held responsible.
Q. Would it be appropriate for the management of COCOBOD for 2021/22 to be held responsible for fall in production, when you yourself had said was as a result of basket of issues, and that no Agronomy practices, husbandry or management can determine the production?
A. My lord I don’t think we can unless my lord there is clear evidence of … dereliction of duties by any staff.
Q. Can any particular fertiliser be held responsible for the fall we have seen in production in 2021/22 and 2022/23.
A. I don’t think so.
Cross examination by counsel Codjoe
Q. Dr Baah at the time Dr Opuni, A1 was appointed as Chief Executive, you were already occupying the position of office manager?
A. Yes my lord. Literally he met me at the office.
Q. During whose tenure as Chief Executive of COCOBOD, were you first appointed as officer manager?
A. The Chief Executive, Mr Anthony Fofie.
Q. Who appointed Anthony Fofie as Chief Executive?
A. H.E. former president J.A Kufuor
