President John Dramani Mahama has called an emergency Cabinet session for Wednesday, February 11, 2026, to tackle the growing crisis in Ghana’s cocoa sector.
According to the Minister of Government Communications, Felix Kwakye Ofosu, the meeting will focus on all critical issues affecting the cocoa industry, including delayed payments to farmers, liquidity challenges at the Ghana Cocoa Board (COCOBOD), and structural weaknesses threatening the sector’s sustainability.
The President’s intervention comes after weeks of public outcry over unpaid cocoa farmers. Many farmers supplying cocoa beans through Licensed Buying Companies have reportedly gone unpaid since late 2025. The situation gained national attention when the Minority Caucus in Parliament held a press conference warning that outstanding arrears owed by COCOBOD were putting the industry at serious risk.
At the press conference, the Minority accused the government and COCOBOD of failing to honour payment obligations, describing the delays as “unacceptable” and harmful to farmers’ livelihoods.
Cocoa farmers have also expressed frustration, saying repeated assurances from authorities are no longer sufficient.
In response, COCOBOD Chief Executive Officer, Dr. Ransford Anertey Abbey, acknowledged the delays and apologised to farmers. He attributed the situation largely to financing challenges, including difficulties in securing the traditional syndicated loans that have historically supported cocoa purchases.
Dr. Abbey said COCOBOD is working closely with the Ministry of Finance to mobilise resources, explore alternative funding models, and address market challenges related to pricing and unsold cocoa stocks.
