President John Dramani Mahama has summoned an emergency cabinet meeting to tackle the escalating crisis in Ghana’s cocoa sector, amid widespread concerns over delayed payments to farmers and liquidity challenges facing the Ghana Cocoa Board (COCOBOD).
The meeting is scheduled for Wednesday, February 11, 2026, according to an announcement by the Minister of State in charge of Government Communications, Felix Kwakye Ofosu, in a post on Facebook on Tuesday.
”President Mahama has called an EMERGENCY CABINET SESSION for tomorrow, Wednesday, 11th February, 2026, to address all issues affecting the Cocoa sector,” Minister Responsible for Government Communications, Felix Kwakye Ofosu posted on social media on Tuesday.
The development follows mounting pressure on the government and COCOBOD to resolve prolonged arrears in the cocoa value chain. The Minority in Parliament has repeatedly raised the alarm, warning that the situation threatens the stability of the industry, a key pillar of Ghana’s economy.
Ranking Member on Parliament’s Food, Agriculture and Cocoa Affairs Committee, Isaac Yaw Opoku, has sharply criticised the government and COCOBOD for failing to reimburse Licensed Buying Companies (LBCs). He revealed that funds owed to these companies, which purchase cocoa beans from farmers on behalf of COCOBOD, now exceed GH¢10 billion.
These delays have left many farmers unpaid for months, hampering their ability to meet basic needs, service loans, and invest in farm maintenance. Frustration among cocoa farmers has grown, with some dismissing repeated assurances from COCOBOD as empty promises and demanding immediate action.
In response, COCOBOD has indicated that it has started disbursing payments to LBCs to help clear outstanding obligations to farmers. The Board is also pursuing new financing options to restore long-term stability in the sector.
The emergency cabinet meeting is expected to centre on urgent government interventions to address the liquidity bottlenecks in the cocoa value chain and prevent further disruption to the industry.
