Ambassador Daniel Ohene Agyekum has described in no uncertain terms that the Board of Governance that supervised the Ghana Cocoa Board (COCOBOD) between January 2014 and January 2017 was not made up a “bunch” of ignoramuses.

According to him, although the Board may not consist of experts or scientists, all the member were literates, knowledgeable and intelligent to read, comprehend and also appreciate experts’ advice, particularly on agrochemicals.

He was responding to the accusation made by the prosecution seventh witness (PW7) Detective Chief Inspector Thomas Prempeh Mercer, who is at the Financial Forensics Unit (FFU) at the Criminal Investigation Department (CID) Headquarters of the Ghana Police Service that the Board during the period did not know what they were doing when they approved Lithovit Liquid Fertiliser.

Ambassador Ohene Agyekum, the Board chair at the time and fourth defence witness (DW4) in GH¢271.3 million cocoa trial, told the court presided over by Justice Clemence Honyenuga, a Supreme Court justice with additional responsibility of the High Court, yesterday that Mr Mercer’s submission passes accusation into insult.

The witness while being cross-examined by Nutifafa Nutsukpi, counsel for Seidu Agongo and Agricult Ghana Limited, said: “My lord, my immediate reaction would be that piece of evidence is tantamount to insulting the intelligence of the members of the ETC (Entity Tender Committee). We knew what we were about. My lord, with all due respect, we were not a bunch of ignoramuses. Even if we were not experts we were literates enough, knowledgeable enough and intelligent enough to read and appreciate the distinction between solid material and liquid material. And in this particular case, technical presentation by the experts from CRIG, we clearly understood both the liquid or Granular or solid fertilisers that we approved.”

DW4 also said he finds it strange for the court to rule in the submission of no case that the Board of COCOBOD and the ETC, all of which he chaired approved Lithovit liquid fertiliser that was worthless and the state received no value for it.

He explained that fertilisers are procured based on experts from the Cocoa Research Institute of Ghana (CRIG) advice while the Cocoa Health and Extension Division (CHED) is responsible for educating farmers on the use agrochemicals as well as and receiving feedback on same.

But, DW4 said from the time he was the Board chair to date, he has not sighted or come across any CHED report claiming that Lithovit Liquid Fertilizer was defective or had adverse effect on cocoa farms.

Ambassador Ohene Agyekum averred that the Board was not influenced by Seidu Agongo and his company to approve Lithovit Liquid Fertiliser to be procured and distributed freely to cocoa farmers.

“That is absolutely impossible. I can’t imagine. It is inconceivable that any particular individual can or could influence choice or decision to award a contract in favour of that particular person. It is simply impossible and that it could not happen under my watch during my time,” he said.

The Court is trying Dr Stephen Kwabena Opuni, former Chief Executive of COCOBOD together with Seidu Agongo and his company on some 27 accounts including causing financial loss to the state.

The court has adjourned to Wednesday, June 13, 2022.