Scores of cocoa farmers from the Guan District in the Oti Region have protested at the Ghana Cocoa Board (COCOBOD) office in Hohoe, demanding payment for cocoa beans they supplied several months ago.
The aggrieved farmers said they delivered their produce to various Licensed Buying Companies (LBCs) between November 2025 and February 2026 but are yet to receive the proceeds from their sales.
According to the farmers, the delay has placed many households under severe financial strain, making it difficult to meet basic family needs, pay school fees, and prepare for the next farming season.
The area’s Cocoa Chief Farmer, Divine Katsakpa, expressed disappointment that farmers in the Oti Region had not received their payments despite the government’s announcement that GH¢2.6 billion had been released to Licensed Buying Companies to pay cocoa farmers nationwide.
“We have worked hard, but we are being treated with negligence. I cannot even take care of my sick wife or keep my children in school because the money we worked for is being held back,” he lamented.
Mr Katsakpa said the prolonged delay had left many cocoa farmers struggling to support their families, with some unable to pay medical bills or meet other essential expenses.
The protesting farmers have given the government and COCOBOD a three-day ultimatum to clear all outstanding arrears.
They warned that if payment is not made by Friday, they will return to the Hohoe COCOBOD office in greater numbers to intensify their protest.
“If our money is not paid, we will come back, reclaim our cocoa beans or occupy the COCOBOD office until our concerns are addressed,” some of the farmers warned.
