Headquarters of the Ghana COCOBOD
The Industrial and Commercial Workers’ Union (ICU-Ghana) and the General Agricultural Workers’ Union (GAWU) have strongly opposed recent salary cuts at the Ghana Cocoa Board (COCOBOD), describing the move as unfair and unlawful.
In a joint statement dated February 17, 2026, the two unions criticised COCOBOD’s decision to slash salaries of senior and management staff by 10% and 20%, insisting that the cuts were implemented without consultation and in breach of existing labour laws and collective agreements.
According to the unions, some of the affected staff are members of organised labour, making prior engagement not just appropriate but mandatory.
They stressed that while workers understand the financial pressures facing the cocoa sector, decisions that affect livelihoods must follow due process.
The unions’ reaction comes at a time when COCOBOD is grappling with serious financial and operational challenges, alongside the Produce Buying Company (PBC).
However, ICU-Ghana and GAWU made it clear that efforts to cut costs should not come at the expense of workers’ rights.
Interestingly, while rejecting the salary reductions, the unions threw their weight behind the broader restructuring measures recently announced by the Minister of Finance, Dr Cassiel Ato Forson.
Here’s how much COCOBOD will save monthly from salary cuts
They described the reforms as timely and economically prudent, especially given the current state of the cocoa industry.
Among the key interventions they welcomed is a new financing model that will allocate 50% of Ghana’s cocoa output to the Cocoa Processing Company and other local processors to boost domestic value addition.
The unions believe the policy will help expand local industries, create employment opportunities, particularly for young people, and strengthen Ghana’s export earnings.
“… Undoubtedly, these interventions will give COCOBOD and PBC a new lease of life and the impetus needed to deliver on their mandate to stabilise and transform the cocoa industry in Ghana,” the statement noted.
Despite their support for the structural reforms, ICU-Ghana and GAWU maintained that any cost-containment strategy must respect established procedures and protect workers from unilateral decisions.
They are, therefore, calling for renewed dialogues with COCOBOD management to find a balanced, mutually agreed way forward that addresses financial realities without sidelining the people who keep the cocoa sector running.
NA/AE
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