The return of an official vehicle previously assigned to former Chief Executive of the Ghana Cocoa Board (COCOBOD), Joseph Boahen Aidoo, has sparked renewed concerns as questions continue to emerge over audit queries and financial liabilities reportedly accumulated during his tenure.

Sources indicate that Aidoo returned the vehicle to COCOBOD’s headquarters in Accra after he was reportedly informed that the Bureau of National Investigations could be engaged to retrieve the car. The development has added another dimension to ongoing concerns surrounding activities during the previous administration of the cocoa regulator.

According to reports, the vehicle had allegedly remained in the possession of the former CEO even after he left office. It was eventually returned about 14 months later, raising questions among officials and observers about the circumstances surrounding the matter.

The issue arises at a time when former managers of COCOBOD are reportedly facing increasing scrutiny over unresolved audit queries raised by the Ghana Audit Service.

Currently, the Chief Executive, Randy Abbey, has undertaken a review of the institution’s financial status following the transition in leadership. Sources suggest that the new administration inherited liabilities estimated at about GH¢32.9 billion.

In response to the audit concerns, portions of the findings have reportedly been forwarded to the Economic and Organised Crime Office (EOCO) for further investigations and possible legal action where necessary. The move is intended to ensure transparency and accountability in the management of public resources.

Among the procurement issues under review are contracts involving farm inputs and equipment reportedly valued at hundreds of millions of dollars. These include slashers, pruners, fertilisers, insecticides, jute sacks, solar lanterns and Wellington boots that were intended for distribution to cocoa farmers nationwide.

However, some reports suggest that certain items particularly slashers and pruners were rejected by some farmers who preferred the traditional use of cutlasses. This has raised further questions about whether adequate consultation was conducted before the procurements were made.

COCOBOD remains one of Ghana’s most important state institutions, responsible for regulating and promoting the country’s cocoa industry, which continues to be a major contributor to export earnings and rural livelihoods.

The unfolding developments are therefore expected to attract close public attention as investigations and institutional reviews continue.