The flagbearer of the New Patriotic Party (NPP), Dr Mahamudu Bawumia, has announced plans to develop alternative policy proposals aimed at addressing the challenges confronting Ghana’s cocoa sector following recent concerns raised by farmers and industry stakeholders.
His remarks come in the wake of the government’s decision to reduce the cocoa producer price to GH¢41,392 per tonne, equivalent to GH¢2,587 per bag, for the remainder of the 2025/2026 crop season.
The move, announced on February 12, has generated widespread debate among cocoa farmers and players within the cocoa value chain.
In response to the concerns, the Minority Caucus constituted a Select Committee to tour cocoa-growing communities across the country and engage farmers directly on the challenges facing the sector.
The committee, led by Minority Chief Whip Frank Annoh-Dompreh, gathered feedback from farmers and compiled recommendations aimed at improving conditions within the industry.
Receiving the committee’s report, Dr Bawumia said the findings would be forwarded to the NPP’s Policy Committee on Agriculture, Food Security and Agribusiness for technical assessment and broader stakeholder consultations.
“What I am looking at with the presentation of this report is to take this Select Committee report to the Policy Committee on Agriculture, Food Security and Agribusiness. We are going to ask this committee to technically review the findings, consult experts in the area, and then bring forward costed policy alternatives for us,” he stated.
According to him, the exercise is intended to produce practical and sustainable policy options that can help stabilise the cocoa sector and improve the welfare of cocoa farmers.
The former Vice President noted that the recommendations from the committee would serve as a basis for developing a comprehensive response to the concerns being raised by producers across the country.
Presenting the report, Minority Chief Whip Frank Annoh-Dompreh said cocoa farmers and many Ghanaians were looking to Dr Bawumia to provide what he described as a credible and workable alternative to the current challenges facing the sector.
“The Ghanaian people are waiting to hear from their saviour. They know you will be able to say something that will be assuring, and not just assuring, also an honest statement for them to know that you will not just come and make a promise that cannot be fulfilled,” Mr Annoh-Dompreh said.
The government announced the reduction in the producer price earlier this year, citing falling global cocoa prices and liquidity pressures within the sector.
However, the decision sparked protests and concerns among cocoa farmers, who argued that the reduction would negatively affect their livelihoods.
The expected policy proposals from Dr Bawumia and the NPP are anticipated to contribute to the ongoing national conversation on how best to revive Ghana’s cocoa industry, improve farmer incomes, and strengthen one of the country’s most important export sectors.
Source: Philip Bright Abutiate
