The Chief Executive of the Ghana Cocoa Board (COCOBOD) has been bestowed with the National Award of Commander of the National Order of Côte d’Ivoire by the President of Côte d’Ivoire H.E. Alassane Dramane Ouattara.

The award was conferred on him for leading the joint Ghanaian and Ivorian negotiations to secure a new cocoa trading mechanism which has a Living Income Differential (LID) as a means to ensure that cocoa farmers in Ghana and Côte d’Ivoire earn a living income from the sale of their cocoa beans.

The Ivorian Commander of the National Order Award is reserved for individuals who have distinguished themselves in service to the Ivorian nation.

The award was presented to him on Thursday 1st October, at a ceremony held in Yamoussoukro to mark this year’s edition of la Journee Nationale du Cacao et du Chocolat (the National Cocoa and Chocolate Day), the Ivorian equivalent of Ghana’s Cocoa Day celebrations.

The Ivorian Minister for Agriculture and Rural Development, Kouassi Adjoumani, said Ivorian cocoa farmers owe Ghana’s president, Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo and the Chief Executive of COCOBOD a great debt for their work to improve the living standards of cocoa farmers.

He acknowledged that although the COVID-19 pandemic has negatively impacted all sectors of the economy, including the price of cocoa. LID has ensured that the income of cocoa farmers in the country have been protected.

He expressed, on behalf of the “entire cocoa sector, and particularly the cocoa subsector a solemn appreciation”, to Hon. Joseph Boahen Aidoo and congratulated him for the national award.

In his keynote address, H.E. Alassane Dramane Ouattara recounted the discussions he had with his Ghanaian counterpart, President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo, which has culminated in the achievement of LID. A US$400 extra amount on every tonne of cocoa sold by the two countries.

We are friends and sons of both Ghana and Côte d’Ivoire, President Ouattara said, as he paid homage to President Akufo-Addo for his “leadership and commitment to strengthening the cooperation between Ghana and Côte d’Ivoire”.

The achievement of LID is a testimony to the excellent relationship between the two countries and a harbinger of what can be accomplished by deepening the cooperation between the two countries, he said.

In his acceptance speech, Hon. Joseph Boahen Aidoo also expressed his profound gratitude to the Ivorian President for conferring on him high national honour. He described the award as the “greatest recognition” he has obtained in his life.

Hon. Boahen Aidoo recognized the immense contribution which the Chief Executive of CCC, Mr Ibrahim Kone Yves, and his team made to the achievement of LID.

He also described LID as the greatest legacy of the two presidents and said that its sustenance depends on the continues cooperation of the two countries to consolidate present gains and reach for higher goals. He assured President Ouattara of Ghana’s commitment in that regard.

The Ivorian president used the occasion to announce an increase in the producer price of cocoa in Côte d’Ivoire for the next crop season from CFA 825 per kilogram to CFA1000 per kilogram. He stated that the price increase has only been made possible by the Living Income Differential.