COCOBOD CEO leads team to visit Gbese Mantse

The Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of the Ghana Cocoa Board (COCOBOD), Dr Randy Nii Anerty Abbey, has paid a courtesy call on the Paramount Chief of the Gbese Traditional Area, Nii Ayi-Bonte II, to formally introduce himself to him.

The visit was also to seek his blessings, having assumed his new position to drive the cocoa sector.

He was accompanied by other management members and staff of the COCOBOD.

Dr Abbey in his remarks said the visit was in recognition of Gbese as the landlord of COCOBOD’s headquarters, as the land on which their building is located, formed part of the Gbese Traditional Area.

He said that as a new management, they intended to work with all stakeholders to ensure that the cocoa sector was rejuvenated and restored to its former status.

Revival

Dr Abbey explained that though the new management had inherited a near-collapsed sector, plagued by financial challenges, he was not to lament but work towards resolving the challenges.

He said that together with a competent team of managers and workers, all the challenges would be addressed one after the other to enable the sector to come back to its feet.

President John Mahama did not send me there to go and lament but to find solutions and that is exactly what I will be doing,” he said.

The COCOBOD CEO said his outfit would support the education initiative embarked on by Nii Ayi-Bonte, stressing: “It is important that we support such initiative to ensure that we help develop a critical youth for the development of not only Gbese but Greater Accra in general.”

Justify confidence

The Gbese Mantse, who is also the Adonten of the Ga State, said the appointment of Dr Abbey reaffirmed the confidence President Mahama had in him and he must do everything right to justify the confidence.

He said the choice of Dr Abbey as the CEO of COCOBOD was apt because Tetteh Quarshie, an indigene of the Ga State, was the one who brought Cocoa to Ghana.

“We are happy for your appointment particularly because of the role cocoa plays in the economic development of Ghana.

This affirms the President's confidence in you to bring the cocoa sector to its glorious past and beyond,” he said.

“We are also happy that you decided to come to pay homage. Be assured that our blessings are upon you and your team,” he said.

Nii Ayibonte urged Dr Abbey to remember the youth of Gbese and Ga Mashie, should there be job opportunities and businesses, adding: “Our youth are educated, hardworking, and diligent and also deserve to be considered when vacancies are being filled.”