Minority demands removal of COCOBOD CEO over cocoa sector crisis

The minority in Parliament has demanded the immediate removal of the Chief Executive of the Ghana Cocoa Board (COCOBOD), Dr Randy Abbey, from his duty for what they have described as a failed reset agenda that has crippled the well-being of millions of cocoa farmers.

 

Cocoa farmers have complained about the delay in payment since November 2025. In an effort to address the crisis in the sector, the government convened an emergency Cabinet meeting to implement comprehensive reforms for the sector.

After the Cabinet session on February 11, 2026, the Finance Minister on Thursday, February 12, announced a raft of measures geared towards tackling the crisis in the cocoa sector, including a reduction in the cocoa producer price per bag and an immediate directive for COCOBOD to pay farmers.

The caucus says the government’s announcement of a reduction in the cocoa producer price is a total rip-off and the worst reform the NDC administration could implement.

Ranking on the Economy and Development Committee, Kojo Oppong Nkrumah, at a press conference in Parliament, said the demand stems from decisions taken by COCOBOD, which they claim have negatively affected cocoa farmers.

“We in the Minority have some government requests. All of these have come about because of the reset that COCOBOD did, and that is why, respectfully, we ask the President to relieve the COCOBOD CEO of his responsibilities at this point,” he said.

The Minority further urged the governing National Democratic Congress (NDC) administration to absorb the financial cost of recent policy decisions and shield cocoa farmers from any adverse impact.

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“We are asking the NDC government to absorb the cost of what they have done and protect the cocoa farmer and restore at least the GH¢3,625 that they promised,” the Caucus stated.

According to them, the reduction in cocoa producer price to GH¢2,587 per bag from GH¢3,625 per bag is unacceptable and falls short of expectations.

“This GH¢2,800 or so that they are promising is totally unacceptable,” they stressed.

The minority also revealed that they have begun receiving messages from cocoa farmers expressing dissatisfaction and threatening to stage demonstrations if their concerns are not addressed.

“Already, we are receiving messages from cocoa farmers who say that if this is what is going to happen, they are going to demonstrate for many days, and if they do, we in this Caucus will join them on the streets,” the Minority warned.