President John Dramani Mahama has convened an emergency cabinet meeting for Wednesday, February 11, 2026, to address the deepening crisis in Ghana’s cocoa sector. The announcement was made by Minister of State for Government Communications, Felix Kwakye Ofosu, in a Facebook post on Tuesday, February 10. The meeting comes amid growing concerns over delayed payments to cocoa farmers and mounting financial strain within the industry. The Minority in Parliament has repeatedly raised alarms, urging both the government and the Ghana Cocoa Board (COCOBOD) to act swiftly to stabilise the sector.
Isaac Yaw Opoku, Ranking Member on Parliament’s Food, Agriculture and Cocoa Affairs Committee, criticised the government and COCOBOD for failing to reimburse Licensed Buying Companies (LBCs). He noted that funds owed to LBCs—responsible for purchasing cocoa beans on behalf of COCOBOD—have now exceeded GH¢10 billion, leaving many farmers unpaid for months and threatening the sustainability of cocoa purchasing operations.
The payment delays have sparked frustration among farmers nationwide, with some calling for immediate settlement of arrears. Cocoa farmers have also expressed dissatisfaction with assurances from COCOBOD about resolving the issue, urging the board to move beyond promises and deliver payments without further delay.
In response to the crisis, COCOBOD has stated that it has begun making payments to LBCs to enable them to clear outstanding obligations to farmers. The board is also exploring new financing arrangements aimed at long-term stability. The emergency cabinet meeting is expected to focus on government interventions to address the liquidity challenges in the cocoa value chain.
Source: William Narh
