The Cocoa Marketing Company (Ghana) Limited has unveiled a new round-the-clock operational system to fast-track the handling and export of cocoa, aligning its activities with President John Dramani Mahama’s 24-Hour Economy and Accelerated Export Development Programme.
The model was officially launched by CMC’s Managing Director, Wisdom Kofi Dogbey, in the presence of government officials, the CMC Board and Management, leadership of COCOBOD, and major players across the cocoa value chain.
Under the new framework, CMC will run continuous operations built on three key pillars: Offload 24, Load 24, and Export 24. ThisThe initiative is designed to keep cocoa moving beyond the traditional 8am to 5pm working hours.
The launch ceremony was attended by a broad spectrum of stakeholders, including Licensed Buying Companies (LBCs), local cocoa processors, the Ghana Ports and Harbours Authority (GPHA), Meridian Port Services (MPS), the Ghana Revenue Authority (GRA), shipping lines, haulage companies, international buyers, and the Quality Control Company (QCC).
According to Mr. Dogbey, the shift marks a fundamental transformation in how CMC manages warehousing, logistics, factory supply and export preparation. For years, CMC’s Take-Over Centres in Tema, Kumasi and Takoradi operated largely within conventional hours.
As a result, trucks that arrived late were forced to wait overnight, while documentation and shipment processes stalled, even though ports, transporters and shipping lines were still active.
“The world does not stop at 5 p.m. or 4 p.m., and neither should Ghana’s cocoa ambition,” Mr. Dogbey declared. He explained that with the start of the new cocoa season, CMC is adopting a system that keeps its critical operations active throughout the day and night.
The Three Pillars Explained
The core of the reform rests on three operational commitments: First, Offload 24 will allow CMC to receive cocoa from LBCs at any hour, cutting down long queues, reducing waiting time for drivers, and easing congestion at depots.
Second, Load 24 will ensure the steady supply of beans to local processing factories beyond daytime hours, enabling processors to fully utilize their installed capacity.
Third, Export 24 will extend inspection, stuffing, sealing and documentation to align with vessel schedules and port operations, ensuring exports are not delayed.
Mr. Dogbey stressed that the three pillars are not slogans, but binding operational promises aimed at fixing persistent bottlenecks in the cocoa supply chain. He noted that the initiative is CMC’s direct contribution to the government’s 24-Hour Economy vision.
He clarified that the policy does not mean staff working 24 hours non-stop, but rather organizing work in shifts so that infrastructure and human resources create value around the clock.
The Push for Efficiency and Processing
Beyond longer hours, CMC says the reform is about better use of existing infrastructure to move cocoa faster, support local value addition and improve Ghana’s competitiveness on the world market.
The company expects the new system to shorten the time between cocoa receipt, factory loading and export, stimulate additional economic activity around its centres, and enhance coordination among warehouses, factories, ports and global markets.
Mr. Dogbey said the performance of the 24-hour model will be tracked with clear indicators, including truck turnaround time, volumes handled per shift, speed of documentation, shipment timelines, safety and quality standards.
He called on LBCs to take advantage of evening and night delivery slots, urged processing companies to schedule collections outside peak daytime hours, and appealed to shipping lines to provide flexible gate-in windows that match CMC’s extended schedule.
He also asked for continued collaboration from GPHA, MPS, security services, GRA, hauliers and other partners to fully integrate CMC into the 24-hour logistics ecosystem. To staff, he charged them to adopt a new mindset anchored on discipline, teamwork and responsiveness.
Mr. Dogbey commended the implementation committee led by Deputy Managing Director in charge of Operations, Jamal Konneh, as well as the Board, Management and staff of CMC and the leadership of COCOBOD for turning the concept into reality.
‘’The launch signals Ghana’s determination to improve productivity, accelerate exports and strengthen its position in the global cocoa trade. Ghana is ready to work, Ghana is ready to export, Ghana is ready to compete, and CMC is ready to play its part.”
Mr. Dogbey
He added that CMC will receive cocoa when it arrives, supply factories when needed, and prepare exports in line with vessel schedules, without compromising the quality for which Ghana’s cocoa is renowned.
The rollout of Offload 24, Load 24 and Export 24 ushers in a new operational phase for the company, aimed at moving Ghana’s cocoa faster, smarter and more efficiently while supporting the government’s broader agenda for an export-driven 24-hour economy.
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