COCOBOD has hit back at former President John Mahama after he denied allegations that he ordered for the construction of a guest house in his hometown Bole for his personal benefit.

The Chief Executive Officer of COCOBOD, Joseph Boahen Aidoo says Mahama’s comment is a very weak attempt laced with half-truths to counter a factual statement.

Earlier, Boahen Aidoo accused former President Mahama of influencing the construction of an “unnecessary guest house” using funds belonging to COCOBOD.

However, the former President relpied saying the Cocoa Research Institute of Ghana (CRIG) Research Station Guest House in Bole has been in existence since 1975, and “could not possibly have been constructed during the tenure of President Mahama. The assertion therefore that he influenced its construction is also false,” a statement from the office of the former President read.

But COCOBOD has hit back in a new statement describing the words of former President Mahama as half-truths.

Read the statement below

The attention of management of COCOBOD has been drawn to a press statement from the office of former President, John Dramani Mahama in a very weak attempt laced with half truths to counter a factual statement put out by the Chief Executive Officer of COCOBOD, Joseph Boahen Aidoo.

The facts are that the site in question is a CRIG Guest House site with old facilities. But the matter at stake is a new COCOBOD Guest House. This is a new Executive Guest House wing and Drivers’ Quarters costing GHc5.2 million. Apart from COCOBOD renovating the old facility, it put up two brand new facilities; Executive Guest House Wing and Driver’s Quarters.

Hitherto refurbishing the old facility, Cocoa Research Institute of Ghana (CRIG) did not have the two additional facilities so the response by the former President begs the question. Both facilities could not have been built in 1970.

The former President through his Spokesperson posited that “The guest house in question, the Cocoa Research Institute of Ghana (CRIG) Research Station Guest House, has been in existence since 1975, and could not possibly have been constructed during the tenure of President Mahama”, however, facts do not support such a claim.

The commencement date for the refurbishment and construction of the new facilities was in 18th January, 2016 and expected completion of 30th September, 2016.

Indeed the building materials give former President Mahama away and we least expected such a response from the high office of the former First Gentleman of the land.



For the elucidation of well-meaning Ghanaians, we are pushed, against our will, to put out the details of the components of the two new buildings and other external works.

A. NEW EXECUTIVE GUEST HOUSE WING

The scope of work for the new executive wing included the construction of the following buildings with the following accommodations:

1. NEW 5- BEDROOM EXECUTIVE BUILDING



1. 5 Bedroom building with each room ensuite
2. 2 ensuite bedrooms on the ground floor and 3 other rooms on the first floor
3. Main reception
4. Living Area
5. Bar
6. Dining Area
7. Kitchen with store and pantry
8. Kitchen yard
9. The floors were finished with porcelain tiles
10. Bathroom and kitchen walls were tiled
11. Ground floor Ceiling is plastered and painted with P.O.P. ceiling cornices
12. First Floor Ceiling is painted plaster board with P.O.P. ceiling cornices

B. DRIVER’S QUARTERS

1. 4 Bedroom building with each room ensuite
2. Laundry with store
3. Kitchen with store
4. Lounge/ Living Area
5. The floors were finished with porcelain tiles
6. Bathroom and kitchen walls were tiled
7 Ground floor Ceiling is fibre plastic P.V.C. T&G

C. EXTERNAL WORKS



1. Construction of 2 No. Security Posts
2. Construction of 3 No. Vehicular and Pedestrian access gates
3. Construction of 4 No. Summer huts
4. Paving of driveways and walkways
5. Grassing of lawn areas
6. Provision of 5 No. Covered car parking areas
7. Fencing of New Executive Wing

We reiterate that looking at the dire economic situation COCOBOD found itself in at that time, it was not prudent, if not irresponsible to spend over Ghc5.2million initially on the construction of the two additional facilities.
We, however, agree wholeheartedly that the new management of COCOBOD has a “weighty” responsibility looking at how recklessly the place had been managed culminating in millions of debt under the supervision of former President John Mahama.
We will remain focused to deliver our mandate as the security agencies also carry out their investigations into all seeming shady transactions.