The Ranking Member of Parliament’s Food, Agriculture and Cocoa Affairs Committee, Isaac Yaw Opoku, has urged the government and the Ghana Cocoa Board (COCOBOD) to immediately settle payments owed to cocoa farmers for beans sold since November 2025, warning that the continued delays are inflicting severe hardship on farming communities.
Speaking to the media in Accra on Thursday, February 5, Mr. Opoku said many cocoa farmers have gone unpaid for over three months because COCOBOD has failed to reimburse Licensed Buying Companies (LBCs) for cocoa already taken over.
He revealed that COCOBOD’s outstanding debt to LBCs has exceeded GH¢10 billion, leaving the companies cash-strapped and unable to honour payments to farmers.
Mr. Opoku explained that the situation has compelled farmers to sell their produce on credit, accept heavy price discounts, or return home with unsold cocoa, a development he warned could undermine the cocoa industry and the broader economy.
He dismissed assertions by COCOBOD that adequate funds have been released for cocoa purchases, insisting that farmers have not received payment since the Mahama-led NDC administration assumed office in November.
Highlighting the social impact of the delays, the Ranking Member recounted cases of farmers struggling to pay school fees, purchase medicines, and meet basic household needs. He added that some farmers were unable to mark the Christmas festivities due to the absence of income.
Mr. Opoku also criticised the government for failing to fulfil campaign promises to significantly raise cocoa producer prices, noting that the current farmgate price of GH¢3,625 per 64-kilogramme bag falls well below earlier commitments.
The Minority Caucus is therefore calling for the immediate payment of all outstanding amounts owed to farmers, full reimbursement of LBCs, and prompt settlement of future cocoa deliveries, stressing that timely payment to farmers is an obligation and not an act of goodwill.
