News:
July 30, 2026
The Minority Caucus in Parliament has strongly opposed the government’s attempt to fast-track the consideration of the Ghana Cocoa Board Bill, 2026 under a certificate of urgency, arguing that the proposed legislation is far too significant to be rushed through without broad national engagement.
Speaking on the floor of Parliament, Ranking Member on the Economy and Development Committee, Kojo Oppong Nkrumah, rejected the motion to take the bill under a certificate of urgency, describing it as a completely new piece of legislation that requires extensive consultation with farmers, civil society, and industry experts.
“This bill, contrary to what the respected Majority Leader has just submitted, essentially seeks to overhaul the legal architecture for managing the cocoa industry. It is not an amendment bill. It is not a bill that just deals with one or two little things,” Mr. Oppong Nkrumah stated.
He noted that while an amendment bill had been laid last year and subsequently withdrawn, the new bill now before the House is materially different. According to the Ofoase Ayirebi MP, the new legislation was only laid on Thursday when the Minister of Finance appeared before Parliament, and it repeals the old law entirely while introducing many new provisions.
“This new bill that he’s talking about has not had the benefit of having this broad national engagement,” Mr. Oppong Nkrumah stressed. “There are various stakeholders who must be given an opportunity to make an input into what you are given to committee.”
He argued that the constitutional requirement for gazetting bills is designed precisely to put the entire nation and all stakeholders on notice, ensuring that everyone who needs to contribute has the opportunity to do so.
“There are farmers groups that need to be given an opportunity to see what is in this bill, which has been taken to committee and committee members have proffered their views. There are civil society organizations that have views when it comes to agriculture and the cocoa industry,” he said.
The Minority Ranking Member highlighted the immense scale of the cocoa sector, noting that it directly supports between 800,000 and one million farmers. “If each one of them has even about three dependents, that’s about four million people who depend on the industry that we are discussing tonight,” he calculated.
Mr. Oppong Nkrumah also raised concerns about the substantive policy changes in the bill, including proposed pricing formulas that could replace the guaranteed minimum farm-gate price with a fluctuating system. He warned that such a move would create uncertainty for farmers who rely on knowing their minimum returns before investing in production.
“What is the reason for which we want to grasp this through one night a bill that literally re-legislates how the entire cocoa industry should be managed?” he questioned. “What we are doing here tonight has significant implications.”
The Minority Leader concluded by urging his colleagues on the other side to reconsider the rush. “There is no need to rush with this. It is such a big deal that we should give ourselves some time and consult some more before this house takes a decision on it.”
Ghanamps.com