The Minority in Parliament has taken a swipe at the NDC administration for allegedly abandoning its campaign pledge to cocoa farmers, citing months of excuses and broken promises.
In a press statement issued on July 29, the Ranking Member on the Food, Agriculture and Cocoa Affairs Committee, Dr. Isaac Yaw Opoku, condemned the government’s failure to raise the cocoa producer price, calling it a “betrayal and deception” of farmers who were promised better returns.
He slammed what he described as the NDC’s “One Price, Many Excuses” approach, pointing out that “not even one pesewa has been added to the producer price of cocoa” since the party assumed office over seven months ago. According to the Offinso South MP, officials from COCOBOD have allegedly been used to “clandestinely” persuade farmers to accept a potentially low price for the upcoming season while maintaining a façade of stakeholder engagement.
Dr. Opoku reminded the public that cocoa farmers were promised at least GH¢6,000 per bag during the 2024 campaign. “The time to honour their promises is long overdue,” he said, adding that farmers have grown tired of repeated justifications and are fast losing patience.
The Minority listed at least seven different excuses the government has reportedly made since January, including COCOBOD debt, rollover contracts, lack of a Producer Price Review Committee and Board of Directors, missing jute sacks, swollen shoot virus management costs, cocoa road construction, and the appreciating cedi. “One Month, One Excuse! Producer Price Baako, Excuses Bebree,” the MP exclaimed.
He further challenged the government to disclose actual cocoa revenue figures for the 2024/25 season. “Can the same government also tell Ghanaians how much revenue cocoa sales have generated so far? Is the amount over $3 billion, as we are hearing? Ghanaians need to know.”
With the 2025/26 crop season fast approaching, the MP demanded full delivery of the GH¢6,000 per bag promise, as well as GH¢2,900 per bag in arrears from January to July. He referenced assurances made by the President and COCOBOD leadership: “The President emphasised and assured Ghanaians that ‘cocoa farmers will be VERY VERY HAPPY’ when the new producer price is announced in August.”
In closing, Dr. Opoku urged the President to fulfill that pledge. “Kindly redeem your promise when the new cocoa price is announced in August,” he appealed.
