The Minority in Parliament has called on President John Dramani Mahama to relieve Dr Randy Abbey of his duties as Chief Executive Officer of the Ghana Cocoa Board (COCOBOD), blaming him for what they describe as a worsening crisis in the cocoa sector.
The demand follows the government’s decision to reduce the producer price of cocoa by 28.6 percent for the remainder of the 2025-2026 crop season, a move the Minority argues will severely impact more than one million cocoa farmers across the country.
Under the new directive, the producer price has been revised downward from GH¢51,660 per tonne to GH¢41,392 per tonne, equivalent to GH¢2,587 per bag. The new rate took effect on Thursday, February 12.
Addressing journalists in Accra on the same day, Kojo Oppong Nkrumah, Ranking Member on Parliament’s Economy and Development Committee, criticised the decision, describing it as an undue hardship on farmers already grappling with high production costs.
“These places an unfair burden on our cocoa farmers, who are already struggling with rising costs,” he said. “The Minority will not remain silent on this matter, and we are prepared to support farmers should they decide to protest against the reduction in the producer price.”
The government has defended the price adjustment, citing developments in the global cocoa market. Finance Minister Dr Cassiel Ato Forson explained that the revision was necessary to respond to changing international market conditions.
According to him, the move is intended to stabilise the cocoa sector, restore confidence in its operations, and ensure the sustainability of payments to farmers.
However, the Minority insists the decision risks undermining farmer confidence and weakening a sector that remains a backbone of Ghana’s economy.
Their call for the dismissal of the COCOBOD CEO signals escalating political tensions over the management of the cocoa industry.
With farmers expected to react to the revised pricing in the coming days, the controversy is likely to intensify as stakeholders weigh the economic and social implications of the government’s decision.
