The Minority Chief Whip and Member of Parliament for Nsawam-Adoagyiri, Frank Annoh-Dompreh, has launched a sharp critique of the National Democratic Congress government over what he describes as misplaced economic priorities, questioning the contrast between heavy spending to stabilise the cedi and the failure to support struggling cocoa farmers.
Speaking during ongoing engagements with cocoa farmers, Mr. Annoh-Dompreh referenced claims that the government injected billions of cedis reportedly equivalent to about $10 billion (GH¢117 billion) to stabilise the local currency through interventions by the Bank of Ghana. He argued that, in contrast, the immediate financial needs of cocoa farmers are relatively minimal, insisting that a fraction of such resources could resolve the crisis confronting farmers across the country.
According to him, the current hardship facing cocoa farmers triggered by the recent reduction in producer prices and delays in payment for beans already supplied has escalated into a “national concern” affecting livelihoods, food security, and rural stability.
He maintained that the government cannot justify such disparities in spending while farmers, who remain the backbone of the cocoa sector, struggle to survive.
The criticism comes against the backdrop of the government’s decision to reduce the cocoa producer price from GH¢3,625 to GH¢2,587 per bag for the 2025/2026 season, a move authorities say was necessary due to financial constraints within the Ghana Cocoa Board, declining yields, and global market pressures.
However, the decision has sparked widespread backlash, with farmers, opposition figures, and civil society groups accusing the government of shifting the burden onto producers.
The Minority Chief Whip, Annoh-Dompreh further questioned what he described as an emerging policy direction that appears to favor extractive industries like gold over sustainable sectors such as cocoa. He argued that while gold is a finite resource, cocoa remains a renewable and long-term economic asset that supports millions of Ghanaian households, and therefore deserves stronger protection and investment.
He insisted that the government must acknowledge the consequences of its decision and take urgent corrective action, including restoring fair pricing and ensuring prompt payment to farmers.
“We are pressing on. No retreat, no surrender,” he declared, reaffirming the Minority’s commitment to continue advocating for cocoa farmers until their concerns are addressed.
The Minority Chief Whip also pointed to additional challenges within the cocoa sector, including concerns about disease, declining yields, and the overall sustainability of production, stressing that these issues require coordinated policy attention rather than decisions that further weaken farmer confidence.