Cocoa Cash Crisis: Govt Slammed for 'Betraying' Farmers
Accra ,Ghana – Feb 5,2026 - Ghana's Minority in Parliament is raising red flags over the government's failure to pay cocoa farmers, warning that delayed payments threaten the very fabric of the cocoa industry. According to the Minority, COCOBOD owes Licensed Buying Companies (LBCs) a staggering GH¢10 billion, leaving farmers high and dry for cocoa sold since November 2025.
The situation is dire, with farmers facing severe financial distress, unable to afford basic necessities like healthcare and school fees. The Minority is calling for immediate payment to farmers, full reimbursement of LBCs, and timely settlement of future cocoa deliveries. They're also demanding an apology from the government and COCOBOD for their handling of the crisis.
The Minority attributes the crisis to COCOBOD's failure to reimburse LBCs, citing "gross dereliction of duty" by the government and COCOBOD.
This isn't the first time cocoa farmers have been left waiting. In the past, governments have made promises to increase producer prices, only to renege on them.
The Minority's Ranking Member on Food, Agriculture and Cocoa Affairs Committee, Isaac Yaw Opoku at a news media briefing in Accra on Thursday, February 5, painted a grim picture of the human impact, citing cases of farmers struggling to survive. "Cocoa farmers are not beggars; paying them on time is a duty, not a favour," he emphasized.
“The reality is that farmers have not been paid for cocoa sold to the Mahama-led NDC government since November last year,” he stated.
The Minority demands immediate payment to cocoa farmers, full reimbursement of LBCs, and timely settlement of future cocoa deliveries. They also call for an apology from the government and COCOBOD for their handling of the crisis.
