NPP urges Mahama not to assent to Cocoa Board Bill over ‘rushed’ passage

The opposition New Patriotic Party (NPP) has urged President John Mahama not to approve the Ghana Cocoa Board Bill, 2026, and instead return it to Parliament for comprehensive stakeholder consultation. The party argues that the Bill was hastily passed through Parliament without adequate engagement with cocoa farmers and other crucial stakeholders, despite provisions that could significantly impact the cocoa industry.

Dr Isaac Yaw Opoku, Ranking Member on Parliament’s Agriculture Committee and Co-Chairman of the NPP Policy Committee on Agriculture, expressed this demand at a press conference on August 9, 2026. He noted that the Bill, which supersedes the Ghana Cocoa Board Law, 1984 (PNDC Law 81), introduces substantial changes such as new governance structures, the establishment of a tribunal, and the creation of new offenses.

Dr Opoku highlighted that the Bill was introduced to Parliament on July 28 and passed within the same week, suggesting that the process lacked sufficient time for meaningful consultation with cocoa farmers, landowners, and industry stakeholders. The NPP has also voiced concerns over provisions that restrict the destruction or uprooting of cocoa trees without prior authorization.

Dr Opoku questioned the necessity of such a requirement, arguing that it could unnecessarily limit farmers' ability to manage their own farms and potentially subject them to penalties for actions like eliminating unhealthy or unproductive cocoa trees. He questioned why cocoa farmers would need prior approval from the Ghana Cocoa Board for such decisions.

The NPP warned that the repercussions of the legislation could extend beyond current cocoa farmers, potentially impacting the long-term health of an industry vital to Ghana’s economy. Consequently, the party is urging President Mahama to return the Bill to Parliament for further examination and broader engagement with farmers and other stakeholders before reconsidering its passage.