Deputy CEO of the Ghana Tourism Authority, Abeiku Santana, has urged cocoa farmers to desist from engaging in illegal mining activities, popularly known as galamsey, warning that the practice poses a serious threat to the country’s cocoa industry.

Speaking in an interview with Nana Ama McBrown on Onua TV on February 15, 2026, Abeiku Santana stated that Ghana pays cocoa farmers more than even Côte d’Ivoire.

According to him, some cocoa farmers are smuggling cocoa beans to neighbouring countries despite Ghana offering competitive prices.

“Some of our cocoa farmers are smuggling cocoa to other foreign countries. Ghana pays cocoa farmers more than even Côte d’Ivoire. Years back, when Cote d’Ivoire used to pay more than Ghana, they used to smuggle abroad,” he said.

He explained that although cocoa prices on the world market have decreased, the government continues to pay farmers above the global market rate.

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“The cocoa prices that are in the world market have decreased, but still the Ghana government pays more than the world market price,” he noted.

The Deputy CEO also expressed concern about farmers who cut down cocoa trees to venture into galamsey in pursuit of quick financial gains.

“We will urge people involved in galamsey, and those who think they’re making more money in galamsey so they would cut down their cocoa trees to focus on galamsey, the chemicals they use destroy the land. This will really affect us,” he cautioned.

Describing cocoa as a valuable national asset, he appealed to farmers to continue cultivating cocoa and refrain from illegal mining.

“Cocoa is a property, so we are pleading that they should continue to sow more cocoa seeds and stop the galamsey,” he added.

FG/EB

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