By Boakye Stephen | Reporting for Ghana News, Canada
The government has announced sweeping reforms to Ghana’s cocoa sector following falling global cocoa prices and ongoing sectoral challenges.
Cabinet has directed the Ghana Cocoa Board to clear all outstanding cocoa pesticide payments, while the farmgate price has been reduced from GH₵58,000 to GH₵41,392 per ton. The government also assured farmers that all cocoa deliveries will be fully paid and that the remainder of cocoa beans pledged for the season will be reserved for local processors rather than exported.
Addressing the news conference, Finance Minister Cassiel Ato Forson Said
“These reforms are aimed at ensuring a fair fight for cocoa, particularly for the farmers to benefit, to secure the financial viability of the sector, and, of course, also to ensure its sustainability.”
Chairman of the Food and Agriculture Committee of Parliament, Dr. Godfrey Seidu Jasaw, elaborated:
“This country went down financially and in 2023 we could not redeem the 2022 loan. Now everyone is trying to manage to ensure the sector survives. About 530,000 metric tons of cocoa beans have been bought already. According to projections, what is actually left is around 30,000 metric tons. The government committed to pay at least 70% of the FOB price, and that’s exactly what they did.”
Minority Criticizes Government Over Cocoa Pricing
The Minority in Parliament has strongly criticized the government’s handling of the cocoa payment situation. Dr. Isaac Yaw Opoku, Minority Spokesperson on Cocoa Affairs, said:
“The government has incompetently handled the cocoa payments crisis, particularly after a raft of measures announced earlier by the finance minister. Cocoa farmers never enjoyed the full benefits of this effort. Never ever. Sometimes we even paid them 40 percent. Cocoa farmers have sacrificed for this country. In fact, if the cocoa farmers’ farmgate price is going to be reduced by almost 30 percent, then everybody’s pay in this country should also be slashed by that margin.”
Farmers React to New Price
Some cocoa farmers in the Central Region spoke to Joy News about the new price and the delayed payments. One farmer said:
“Well, we are looking at the amount of money that has not been paid sometimes for the price for the farmers, which was so annoying. But at the end of the day, there is a pronouncement or directive for the money to be paid for us. That was what we were protesting for and allegedly it has been received.”
Regarding the new price, the farmer added:
“When the price came, there were a lot of controversies and discussions about whether we accept it or not. As an organization, we can’t just wake up and decide arbitrarily. At the end of the day, we have to sit down with our farmers to take a collective decision whether the price is fair or not. In the Central Region, 12 farmer groups have now concluded that the price is accepted. But they also understand that when the price goes up, reductions should not be imposed unjustly.”
Narcotics Commission Comments Spark Public Debate
Comments by the Deputy Director of the Narcotics Control Commission, Mr. Alexander Twumasi, in an interview with Sadiq Adams of Angel FM, have sparked nationwide discussion. Paraphrasing, he said:
When you are far, you might not know what’s going on about the drugs, but the truth is that not long ago, we’ve arrested a prominent person who packaged containers with a well-known food recipe, a very popular food product in Ghana. There are about ten percent cocaine out of fifty among the boxes of these food products he exports. We took our time to investigate this and realized that he rebranded the product. We’ve invited the owners of these products for further confirmation whether they are in partnership with these cocaine dealers or not.
Social media speculation linked these claims to businessman Osei Kwame Despite, though authorities have not confirmed his identity. On 12 February 2026, Despite was seen attending a funeral in Kumasi and reportedly asked:
“They are saying I’ve been arrested, and you’ve not yet informed me?”
His aide, Richie, replied:
“Yes oo, today is 12 February 2026, they say you were arrested yesterday …”
Illegal Mining Investigations Under Scrutiny
In related news, the Minority in Parliament and civil society groups are urging action against officials implicated in a recent exposé on illegal mining.
Deputy Ranking Member of Parliament’s Local Government and Rural Development Committee, Alexander Akwasi-Acqah, said:
“There is no need for another probe. People will hear from the President. Once the regional minister establishes a prima facie case and the committee is working, which investigation again are we going to do? We think certain actions need to be taken to assure Ghanaians that the President means exactly what he says about fighting corruption.”
Government officials, including Ashanti Regional Minister Frank Amoakohene and Deputy Senior Minister for the Fourth Republic Commission, insisted that suspensions are not automatic and that proper procedures must be followed.
Civil society groups strongly disagree, saying interdiction should have been the first decisive step.
Valentine’s Day Markets Record Mixed Activity
Finally, traders across Accra report increased sales of chocolates, flowers, teddy bears, and other Valentine’s Day items.
Market women and men told Joy News:
“We are still taking orders, and we expect a last-minute rush. Demand is steady, but slower than last year. Social media trends continue to influence spending habits, with young people feeling pressure to meet online expectations.”
