Prez. Mahama to Hold Cabinet Meeting over Cocoa Price Today
By Praisebell Rosemond Larbi
President John Dramani Mahama has called an emergency Cabinet meeting to be held on Wednesday, February 11, 2026, as concerns mount over the deteriorating state of Ghana’s cocoa sector, particularly delays in payments to farmers and growing liquidity pressures across the value chain.
The decision was announced by the Minister of State in charge of Government Communications, Felix Kwakye Ofosu, in a Facebook post on Tuesday, February 10, 2026, underscoring the urgency with which the government is seeking to confront the situation.
The cocoa sector, which remains a critical pillar of Ghana’s economy and a major source of rural livelihoods and foreign exchange earnings, has come under increasing strain in recent months. Delayed payments to cocoa farmers have triggered growing frustration nationwide, raising concerns about farmer welfare, production sustainability, and confidence in the sector’s financing structure.
The Minority in Parliament has repeatedly raised red flags over the crisis, calling on the government and the Ghana Cocoa Board (COCOBOD) to take swift and decisive action to stabilise the industry. The Ranking Member on Parliament’s Food, Agriculture and Cocoa Affairs Committee, Isaac Yaw Opoku, has been particularly vocal, accusing both government and COCOBOD of failing to meet their financial obligations to Licensed Buying Companies (LBCs).
According to Mr. Opoku, outstanding payments owed to LBCs, who purchase cocoa beans from farmers on behalf of COCOBOD, have now exceeded GH¢10 billion, severely constraining their ability to operate effectively. He warned that the delays have left many farmers unpaid for several months, threatening the viability of cocoa purchasing operations and deepening financial distress in cocoa-growing communities.
“These payment delays are crippling the system, noting that LBCs depend on timely reimbursement to pay farmers promptly and maintain trust within the supply chain,” Mr. Opoku said.
Farmers across cocoa-growing regions have echoed these concerns, expressing growing dissatisfaction with repeated assurances from COCOBOD. Many have called for immediate settlement of arrears, stressing that prolonged delays undermine their livelihoods and ability to invest in farm maintenance and productivity.
In response, COCOBOD has said it has begun releasing funds to some LBCs to help clear outstanding payments to farmers. The Board has also indicated that it is exploring alternative financing arrangements aimed at strengthening liquidity and ensuring longer-term stability in the cocoa sector.
Wednesday’s emergency Cabinet meeting is expected to focus on short-term liquidity interventions, financing solutions for COCOBOD, and broader policy measures to restore confidence in the cocoa value chain. Observers say the outcome of the meeting could prove pivotal in determining how quickly the government can ease tensions in the sector and safeguard Ghana’s position as one of the world’s leading cocoa producers.
