Professor Stephen Adei, a prominent economist and public administrator from Ghana, has refuted criticism directed at the Ghana Cocoa Board (COCOBOD) over their purchase of iPad keyboards for board members.
Professor Adei stated that given the state-owned company’s stature and the kind of the job its board members are expected to perform, it is reasonable for COCOBOD to believe that its board members should have keyboards for dedicated iPads.
We have a tendency to turn anthills into mountains. A multibillion dollar organization is COCOBOD. They do a lot of tasks using Zoom and other tools if they are operating similarly to other boards at this point, and I believe that the materials should also be protected in some way. It’s like suggesting you wipe your shoe with a GH₵1 Shell duster if they require it for work. We shouldn’t be sitting here talking about it at all, in my opinion, if they are performing their jobs.
I am one of seven board members of Adansi Rural Bank, so you can understand the size of the organization. We have all been issued coded iPads, which allow us to access our system and get all information. “So why should I sit here and talk about COCOBOD when Adansi Rural Bank can do that,” he said in an interview with GHOne TV.
Professor Adei argued that although corruption concerns should always be taken seriously, the emphasis on the COCOBOD iPad keyboards is misguided, notwithstanding the criticism leveled at the keyboards’ price and priority.
Thus, I don’t believe it’s a problem. The issue we occasionally face stems from systemic corruption; you can discuss it there. However, the average person striving to make ends meet in the morning feels as though you’ve purchased a $5,000 tablet or laptop for someone. Who is that someone? However, that is not the topic to be discussed at that level. It is up for debate whether or not they are monitoring the management effectively, avoiding squandering the billions of dollars we possess in cocoa bonds that aren’t being paid for, and preventing retirees from passing away ostensibly because they can’t afford the treatments they require. Let’s not stray from these important issues, he said.
In the meanwhile, COCOBOD has released a statement clarifying that the procurement step of the decision to buy the keyboards has not yet occurred, and the decision is still at the proposal stage.
An previous communication from the department of information systems asked for permission to purchase iPad keyboards for the agency’s board of directors. Each keyboard would cost 4,500 Cedis (GH¢4,500.00).
A significant response occurred as a result, both on and off social media.
The COCOBOD administration, however, clarified that the document was only a proposal request and that it had not approved the purchase in a statement issued on April 1, 2024.
It clarified that the adoption of the “CONVENE” App to increase efficiency and decrease paper use during board meetings was the reason for the request.
The statement made clear that no transactions have taken place and that the request is still seeking approval.
