Cocoa farmers are not beggars; paying them on time isn’t a favour’ – Minority to government

The Ranking Member on Parliament’s Food, Agriculture and Cocoa Affairs Committee, Isaac Yaw Opoku, has urged the government and the Ghana Cocoa Board (COCOBOD) to urgently settle payments owed to cocoa farmers for beans sold since November 2025, warning that prolonged delays are pushing both farmers and the cocoa sector towards crisis.

Speaking to journalists in Accra on Thursday, February 5, Mr Opoku said the Minority Caucus was alarmed by the worsening plight of cocoa farmers, many of whom, he noted, have gone unpaid for more than three months. He said the situation has created severe financial distress across cocoa-growing communities.

According to him, the payment delays stem from COCOBOD’s failure to reimburse Licensed Buying Companies (LBCs) for cocoa already taken over.

He disclosed that COCOBOD currently owes LBCs in excess of GH¢10 billion, leaving the companies cash-strapped and unable to pay farmers promptly.

As a result, he said, farmers are being compelled to sell cocoa on credit, accept steep discounts, or return home with unsold produce, a development he warned could undermine the entire cocoa value chain and negatively affect the wider economy.

Mr Opoku accused both government and COCOBOD of neglecting their obligations to the LBCs, many of which relied on bank loans and off-taker financing to pre-fund cocoa purchases.

He dismissed claims by COCOBOD that sufficient funds had been released for cocoa buying, insisting that the reality on the ground tells a different story.

The Ranking Member painted a bleak picture of the human cost of the delays, citing cases of farmers unable to afford healthcare, pay school fees, or support sick relatives.

He added that some cocoa farmers were reportedly unable to celebrate Christmas for the first time due to non-payment.

The Ranking Member also criticised the government for failing to honour campaign promises made ahead of the December 7 elections, recalling assurances by then-opposition figures that cocoa farmers would receive producer prices of between GH¢6,000 and GH¢7,000 per bag.

He said the current farmgate price of GH¢3,625 per 64kg bag falls far short of those commitments.

He further expressed concern over suggestions that the producer price could be reduced as a means of settling arrears, describing such a move as a breach of trust.

Mr Opoku also accused the government of mismanaging COCOBOD through wasteful administrative spending and mass staff transfers, while farmers remain unpaid.

Warning that the crisis threatens the survival of indigenous buying companies and transport operators whose capital is tied up, the Minority is demanding immediate payment to cocoa farmers, full reimbursement of LBCs, and timely settlement of future cocoa deliveries.

They are also calling for an apology from the government and COCOBOD.

“Cocoa farmers are not beggars,” Mr Opoku stressed. “Paying them on time is a duty, not a favour.”

MyJoyOnline