The Minority in Parliament has strongly criticised the government’s decision to reduce the cocoa producer price, describing the move as unfair to farmers and detrimental to the cocoa sector.
Ranking Member on the Food, Agriculture, and Cocoa Affairs Committee, Dr. Isaac Yaw Opoku, addressing the media on Thursday, 12 February 2026, expressed outrage over the reduction, which lowers the price from GH¢3,625 to GH¢2,587 per bag, arguing that such a sharp cut, amounting to more than GH¢1,000 per bag, is unprecedented.
“This has never happened. Why are we treating cocoa farmers this way? The cocoa farmer has never fully benefited from the FOB price. Cocoa farmers have sacrificed for this country,” Dr. Opoku said.
He demanded a reduction in public sector workers’ salaries in line with the decline in cocoa farmgate prices, urging the government to reconsider its decision.
“If the cocoa farmer’s price is going to be reduced by almost 30 per cent, then everybody’s pay in this country should also be slashed by that margin.
“Is the Chief Executive Officer’s salary and allowance going to be reduced by the same margin? Today is a sad day for the country. The President should come again. Cocoa farmers deserve better,” he stated.
The criticism follows the government’s announcement of a reduction in the producer price from GH¢51,660 to GH¢41,392 per tonne for the remainder of the 2025/2026 crop season, a measure officials say is aimed at stabilising the cocoa sector amid financial pressures.
The government announced a new producer price for cocoa, setting it at GH¢41,392 per tonne for the remainder of the 2025/2026 crop season in a move aimed at stabilising the sector and supporting farmers.
The new price, approved by the Producer Price Review Committee (PPRC), takes effect from Thursday, 12 February 2026. The revised rate translates to GHc2,587.00 per bag, down from GHc3,625.00.
Addressing the press on Thursday, 12 February 2026, Finance Minister Dr. Cassiel Ato Forson explained that the decision was informed by prevailing conditions on the international cocoa market.
He said the adjustment reflects current global cocoa prices and is intended to restore confidence across the industry.
The Minister further indicated that the new rate is expected to inject immediate liquidity into the cocoa value chain, helping to fast-track payments to farmers who have experienced delays in recent months and easing financial pressures at the farm level.
The price revision, he noted, forms part of broader reforms to ensure the long-term sustainability of Ghana’s cocoa industry. He described the measure as necessary to stabilise the sector, strengthen its financial footing, and secure better outcomes for cocoa farmers.
“As a result of that, the PPRC thereby announces that effective today, Thursday 12th February 2026, the new producer price for the remainder of the 2025–2026 crop season will now be 41,392 Ghana Cedis per ton and 2,587 Ghana Cedis per bag,” he said.
In a related development, the Minority in Parliament has called for the immediate arrest of individuals allegedly involved in the unlawful closure of the National Health Insurance Scheme (NHIS) office in Tema Central, describing the action as an attack on public order and healthcare delivery.
In a statement on Thursday (12 February) signed by Dr. Nana Ayew Afriyie, Ranking Member of Parliament’s Health Committee, the Minority said certain political party executives had locked up the office, disrupting access to essential health services.
“The action constitutes unlawful interference with a public institution. No political grievance justifies shutting down a national health service office,” the statement said.
The caucus urged law enforcement authorities to “act decisively” and apprehend those responsible in accordance with Ghanaian law, warning that failure to do so would set a dangerous precedent and undermine public confidence in state institutions.
The NHIS provides health insurance coverage to millions of Ghanaians, including vulnerable groups who rely on the scheme for access to care. The closure has reportedly affected services such as registration, membership renewals, and claims processing.
The Minority also called for the immediate reopening of the Tema Central office and the restoration of full services, insisting that health facilities and institutions must not be drawn into partisan disputes. There was no immediate response from the police at the time of publication.
