Minority criticizes President Mahama for assenting to Ghana Cocoa Board Bill

Dr. Isaac Yaw Opoku, Ranking Member on Parliament’s Agriculture Committee and Co-Chairman of the NPP Policy Committee on Agriculture, expressed disappointment that critical flaws in the legislation were not addressed. He stated that key actors in the cocoa value chain, including the Ghana National Cocoa Farmers Association, the Ghana National Best Cocoa Farmers Association, and Licensed Buying Companies, were bypassed during the drafting and approval stages. Dr. Opoku highlighted that the law will govern the cocoa sector for generations and should have undergone comprehensive scrutiny and broad stakeholder engagement.

He mentioned that the Minority identified at least eight contentious provisions but accused the government of refusing to consider alternative viewpoints. Dr. Opoku also cautioned against granting any single political party an overwhelming majority in Parliament, arguing that it undermines democratic accountability and allows governments to push through controversial measures.