The Director of Policy and Advocacy at the Legal and Entrepreneurship Support Hub (LESH), Edward Kareweh, has urged stakeholders to focus on the substance of the newly passed Ghana Cocoa Board (COCOBOD) Bill, 2026, rather than concerns over the extent of consultations conducted before its passage.
Speaking on Business Focus on August 10, 2026, Kareweh said the quality and provisions of the legislation should be the primary basis for assessing the bill, arguing that broader consultations do not automatically result in better laws.
According to him, attention should be directed at identifying and addressing any weaknesses in the content of the bill that could affect the future growth and transformation of Ghana’s cocoa industry.
“First, you have to look at the quality of the law. Rather than dwelling on who was consulted and who was not consulted, much emphasis should be placed on the content of the law or the bill,” he said.
Kareweh noted that while stakeholder engagement is important, consultation has its limitations and should not overshadow scrutiny of the bill’s provisions.
“Does a broader consultation necessarily mean a better law? Not necessarily. We should examine the bill and identify specific provisions that may not be good enough for the growth and transformation of the cocoa industry going into the future,” he stated.
He added that where concerns exist about particular clauses, stakeholders should focus on proposing improvements rather than calling for the legislation to be returned to Parliament solely on the grounds of inadequate consultation.
“If there are provisions we are not satisfied with, then we can look at them and improve them. But to say the bill should go back to Parliament because there was no broader consultation, especially when it has far-reaching implications for the future of the cocoa industry, is not the way to address the issue,” he said.
The Director also questioned calls for the bill to be referred back to Parliament, saying he had not seen any clearly identified weaknesses that would justify such a move.
His comments come after Parliament passed the Ghana Cocoa Board Bill, 2026, introducing major reforms aimed at strengthening Ghana’s cocoa sector, enhancing governance within COCOBOD, and improving the welfare of cocoa farmers across the country.
By Coffie Mawuedem Noel
