They promised to pay GHS6,000 per tonne when they were seeking power —Mahama’s Gov’t Exposed

Kojo Oppong Nkrumah, the MP for Ofoase/Ayirebi and Ranking Member of Parliament’s Economy Committee, has challenged the government’s latest cocoa producer price, arguing that the increase does not provide sufficient financial relief to farmers.

According to GhanaWeb, Oppong Nkrumah made the remarks during an interview on Eyewitness News, where he described the adjustment as misleading because the dollar-based increase does not translate into a substantial improvement in farmers’ earnings.

The Producer Price Review Committee, led by Finance Minister Dr Cassiel Ato Forson, raised the producer price for the 2025/2026 cocoa season from $3,100 to $5,040 per tonne, an increase of 62.58%.

Despite the higher dollar figure, Oppong Nkrumah said the price per bag had reportedly risen by only GH¢128, from GH¢3,100 to GH¢3,228. He stressed that farmers needed to focus on the actual amount they received rather than international pricing benchmarks.

The MP further accused the government of breaking its campaign promise to pay cocoa farmers GH¢6,000 per tonne. He maintained that the new rate was considerably below that commitment.

The criticism has fuelled discussions about agricultural policy and the financial welfare of cocoa farmers. While opponents argue that the increase offers inadequate support, government supporters cite international market conditions as a factor influencing cocoa pricing.

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