President John Dramani Mahama has convened an emergency cabinet meeting scheduled for Wednesday, February 11, 2026, to address the deepening crisis in Ghana’s cocoa sector.
The meeting was announced on Tuesday, February 10, 2026, by the Minister of State in charge of Government Communications, Felix Kwakye Ofosu, through a Facebook post. The decision comes amid growing concerns over delayed payments to cocoa farmers and escalating financial pressures across the cocoa value chain.
The Minority in Parliament has repeatedly raised alarm over the situation, urging the government and the Ghana Cocoa Board (COCOBOD) to take swift action to stabilise the sector, which remains a critical pillar of the national economy.
The Ranking Member on Parliament’s Food, Agriculture and Cocoa Affairs Committee, Isaac Yaw Opoku, has been particularly critical of the government and COCOBOD for their failure to reimburse Licensed Buying Companies (LBCs). According to him, prolonged delays in payments have left many cocoa farmers unpaid for several months.
Mr Opoku disclosed that funds owed to LBCs—companies responsible for purchasing cocoa beans on behalf of COCOBOD—have risen above GH¢10 billion. He warned that the situation has severely constrained the ability of LBCs to pay farmers, posing a serious threat to the sustainability of cocoa purchasing operations nationwide.
The delays have fueled frustration among cocoa farmers, with many demanding the immediate settlement of outstanding arrears. Some farmers have also expressed disappointment with COCOBOD’s assurances, calling on the board to move beyond promises and ensure prompt payment.
In response, COCOBOD has indicated that it has begun releasing funds to LBCs to enable them to clear their debts to farmers. The board has also announced that it is exploring new financing arrangements aimed at restoring liquidity and ensuring long-term stability in the sector.
The emergency cabinet meeting is expected to deliberate on urgent government interventions to resolve the liquidity challenges affecting the cocoa industry and to chart a sustainable path forward for farmers and other stakeholders.
