Abstract:
The cocoa industry in Ghana is plagued with a number of challenges.
Among such challenges is the issue of insecurity. This notwithstanding, there
are limited scholarly findings on the nature and the underlying factors associated
with these insecurity issues. This paper examined the cocoa industry in the Sefwi
Akontombra District in the Western Region of Ghana and presents an analysis
of the processes and procedures for cocoa purchasing in the district; the security
arrangements and mechanisms put in place during cocoa purchasing peak periods;
the nature of access roads in cocoa growing areas in the district; and the influence
of access roads on the insecurity of cocoa purchasing in the district. The study
adopted a qualitative research approach and using a cross sectional study design,
the case of OLAM Ghana Limited, a private licensed cocoa buying company
operating in Sefwi Akontombra was examined. Primary data were gathered from
purchasing clerks, drivers, warehouse keepers and officials of the company. Data
from the District Command of the Ghana Police Service and the Department of
Feeder Roads district office were solicited using interview guides. Non-participant
observation and taking of photography were also employed as data capturing
mechanism during the study. The study espoused content analysis in analysing
the contents of the interviews and observational field notes in order to identify
the main themes that emerge from the responses given by the respondents or
the observation notes made. Inferences and implications were drawn then drawn
from the analysis. The study found out that there was no security measure by
OLAM Ghana Limited to ensure the safety of funds meant for cocoa buying,
the storage and the transportation of cocoa beans in the study district. There
was also no security arrangement during peak cocoa purchasing periods in the
study district by key stakeholders within the cocoa sector in the district. Moreover,
access road was further found out to be a major factor that accounts for
some of the insecurity issues associated with cocoa purchasing activities in the
Sefwi Akontombra District. The study thus recommends the development and
adoption of security arrangements and mechanism by all stakeholders within the
cocoa industry in the study district and the making of security issues a top priority
by OLAM Ghana Limited
