Cocoa Exporters Threaten to Relocate from Abia, Cite Multiple Reasons

Cocoa exporters in Abia State have threatened to relocate their businesses to neighboring states, citing alleged extortion and harassment by the recently established Cocoa Monitoring Team. The Abia State Chapter of the Cocoa Association of Nigeria (CAN) claims the team’s activities are stifling the cocoa trade and undermining business operations in the state.

In a statement signed by CAN Chairman, Mr. Johnson Chidi-Uche, the group called on Governor Alex Otti to disband the monitoring team and investigate its activities. Members of the team, including Secretary Mrs. Sarah Uzochukwu, Chairman Mr. Enoch Eke Kalu, and Chibunna Osondu Nkwocha, were accused of extorting over ₦1.8 million from exporters and enforcing disruptive guidelines without consulting key stakeholders.

CAN outlined several reasons for their discontent:

Unilateral Policy Changes: The monitoring team introduced new guidelines requiring merchants to obtain approvals before transporting products, allegedly excluding CAN and other stakeholders from decision-making.

Extortion and Intimidation: Exporters reported being harassed by security agencies acting on behalf of the monitoring team to enforce these guidelines, which merchants describe as exploitative.

Overreach of Duties: The monitoring team was accused of performing tasks outside its mandate, such as inspecting warehouses and demanding payments, rather than focusing on smuggling prevention and document verification.

The association stressed that grading, certification, and fee collection are constitutionally the responsibilities of the state’s Produce Department, not the monitoring team.

Chidi-Uche warned that if the state government does not address the exporters’ concerns, businesses may relocate to more accommodating neighboring states, resulting in a significant loss of revenue for Abia.

“The cocoa monitoring team’s role is to ensure compliance with regulations, not to create obstacles for merchants,” he stated. CAN urged the government to act swiftly to resolve the crisis and restore a business-friendly environment in the state.