The New Patriotic Party (NPP) has raised serious concerns about the Ghana Cocoa Board Bill, 2026, accusing the government of rushing the legislation through Parliament and warning that the process could undermine cocoa farmer welfare, transparency and accountability in Ghana’s cocoa industry.
Speaking at a press conference in Accra on August 9, 2026, organised by the NPP Policy Secretariat, Dr. Isaac Yaw Opoku said the party does not oppose replacing the existing PNDCL 81, which has governed the operations of the Ghana Cocoa Board (COCOBOD) for decades.
According to Dr. Opoku, the proposed cocoa legislation contains several important reforms, including improved cocoa traceability, value addition and a guaranteed minimum share of the international cocoa price for farmers.
However, the NPP Policy Secretariat member and Ranking Member of Parliament’s Food and Agriculture Committee criticised the manner in which the legislation was processed and passed.
“A good cause has been undone by a bad process,” he said.
NPP Questions Rushed Passage of Cocoa Bill
The NPP argued that the Cocoa Board Bill 2026 is one of the most significant pieces of legislation passed this year because of the number of Ghanaians whose livelihoods depend on the cocoa industry.
Dr. Opoku noted that Ghana’s cocoa sector supports approximately 800,000 farming families and about three million people, while generating nearly US$2 billion each cocoa season.
He warned that the industry is already facing significant production challenges, making careful policy decisions critical to the future of cocoa farming in Ghana.
According to the NPP, Ghana’s cocoa production has declined from a peak of approximately 1.047 million tonnes to about 650,000 tonnes, with production expected to fall by a further 16 percent in the next season.
The party also highlighted the impact of cocoa swollen shoot virus disease, noting that about 90,000 hectares of cocoa farms require rehabilitation.
The NPP therefore cautioned that any weaknesses in the new legislation could have serious consequences for farmers and cocoa-producing communities across the country.
“The cost of getting this wrong will not be paid in Accra, but in Sefwi Wiawso, Offinso, Goaso and Enchi,” the party warned.
Cocoa Bill Passed Under Certificate of Urgency
The NPP said the Ghana Cocoa Board Bill was laid before Parliament on July 28, 2026, and passed within the same week under a Certificate of Urgency.
The party noted that Parliament used the short period to repeal PNDCL 81, restructure the cocoa industry, establish a tribunal and introduce new criminal offences.
Although the NPP acknowledged that the use of a Certificate of Urgency is not unconstitutional, it argued that such a procedure should only be used when circumstances genuinely require accelerated legislation.
The party maintained that the annual cocoa pricing period, which begins around September, does not provide sufficient justification for rushing through a permanent and far-reaching law affecting the country’s entire cocoa industry.
NPP Challenges Cocoa Stakeholder Consultations
The opposition party also rejected claims that adequate consultations were conducted before the bill was passed.
According to the NPP, no stakeholder engagement report was presented to the joint parliamentary committee, while the two national cocoa farmer associations were allegedly not consulted.
The party further claimed that concerns formally submitted by LICOBAG were not adequately addressed and that the Cocoa Hauliers Association was not consulted during the legislative process.
Another major concern raised by the NPP was the difference between the 2026 Cocoa Board Bill and an earlier 2025 version that had previously been considered by Parliament.
The party argued that the final version contained substantial changes, meaning lawmakers approved provisions that key stakeholders had not previously reviewed.
NPP Calls for Greater Transparency in Cocoa Sector Reform
The NPP said genuine reform of Ghana’s cocoa sector must involve meaningful participation from the people whose livelihoods depend directly on the industry.
The party warned that legislation designed to improve COCOBOD operations, cocoa production, farmer incomes and industry transparency should not be imposed without adequate consultation with cocoa farmers and other stakeholders.
“A law made for cocoa farmers, without cocoa farmers, is not reform. It is imposition,” the NPP declared.
The controversy surrounding the Cocoa Board Bill 2026 is expected to fuel further debate over Ghana’s cocoa policy, farmer income, COCOBOD reforms, cocoa production and the future management of the country’s vital agricultural sector.
Source: newsthemegh.com