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President John Dramani Mahama has convened an emergency cabinet meeting set for Wednesday, February 11, 2026, to address the escalating crisis affecting Ghana’s cocoa sector.
The announcement was made by Felix Kwakye Ofosu, Minister of State in charge of Government Communications, in a Facebook post on Tuesday, February 10, 2026. The urgent session comes amid growing concerns over delayed payments to cocoa farmers and mounting financial stress across the industry.
Crisis in the Cocoa Value Chain
In recent weeks, voices of concern have intensified from both within and outside Parliament regarding persistent payment delays to farmers, the backbone of Ghana’s cocoa economy. The situation has drawn sharp criticism from the Minority in Parliament, which has repeatedly called on the government and the Ghana Cocoa Board (COCOBOD) to take decisive action to stabilize the beleaguered sector.
Isaac Yaw Opoku, Ranking Member on Parliament’s Food, Agriculture and Cocoa Affairs Committee, has lambasted the government and COCOBOD for failing to reimburse Licensed Buying Companies (LBCs) — private entities responsible for purchasing cocoa beans on behalf of COCOBOD. According to Mr. Opoku, funds owed to LBCs have now surpassed GH¢10 billion, severely limiting their capacity to remunerate farmers in a timely manner and threatening the sustainability of purchasing operations nationwide.
Growing Frustration Among Farmers
The payment delays have fueled rising frustration within cocoa-growing communities across the country. Many farmers report having gone several months without payment for dried cocoa beans delivered to buying stations, igniting fears over household livelihoods and the future of cocoa production in Ghana.
Farmers have also expressed dissatisfaction with repeated assurances from COCOBOD that the issue would be resolved, urging the board to move beyond promises and ensure immediate settlement of arrears.
COCOBOD Response and Financing Plans
In response to the mounting pressure, COCOBOD has indicated that it has begun releasing funds to LBCs to enable the clearing of outstanding debts to farmers. The board further stated that it is pursuing new financing arrangements aimed at creating long-term stability within the cocoa value chain and preventing future liquidity shocks.
Emergency Cabinet Meeting to Shape Interventions
The emergency cabinet meeting called by President Mahama is expected to bring together key government officials and sector stakeholders to deliberate on urgent interventions to address the liquidity challenges hampering the cocoa industry.
As Ghana prepares for what many view as a critical turning point in managing its most important agricultural export, all eyes will be on the outcome of Wednesday’s meeting and the concrete steps the government will outline to restore confidence among farmers, buyers, and global cocoa partners.