Don’t sign it yet – Minority demands fresh consultation on controversial Cocoa Bill

The Minority in Parliament is cautioning President John Mahama against assenting to the recently passed Cocoa Bill until additional consultations are conducted with key stakeholders in the cocoa sector. Former Deputy Minister for Agriculture and Cocoa Affairs, Yaw Frimpong Addo, highlighted specific provisions in the bill that the opposition party deems problematic for cocoa farmers.

Speaking on Joy News’ PM Express, the Manso Adubia MP clarified that the Minority is not entirely against the bill but rather wants its concerns to be adequately addressed before it becomes law. Frimpong Addo emphasized that the Minority's feedback is essential in the legislative process, noting that their input was not initially sought when the bill was considered by the Agric committee, which was later referred to the finance committee and legal affairs committee.

The Minority also expressed dissatisfaction with the lack of consultation with hauliers who transport cocoa from farms to ports. Frimpong Addo argued that the absence of broader stakeholder engagement raises significant concerns about the legislation's fairness and effectiveness. He urged for more consultations before the President signs the bill, deeming the current approach to be premature.

Additionally, Frimpong Addo criticized the process of engaging farmers' groups after the bill had already been passed by Parliament, deeming such actions inappropriate.