Kojo Oppong Nkrumah has urged Parliament not to rush the passage of the Cocoa Board Reforms Bill, warning that the proposed legislation could have far-reaching consequences for Ghana’s cocoa industry.
The Ofoase-Ayirebi MP said the Minority opposed attempts to fast-track the bill, insisting that cocoa farmers and other stakeholders must be allowed to contribute before it becomes law.
According to him, cocoa remains one of Ghana’s most important economic sectors, and any major reforms should be subjected to broad stakeholder consultations.
Mr Oppong Nkrumah argued that previous decisions on cocoa pricing had already affected cocoa-growing communities, making it necessary for Parliament to proceed cautiously.
“Look at the last time they decided at Cabinet to cut cocoa prices by about 30%. It’s impacted a lot of cocoa-growing areas across the country. You don’t take major decisions like this in a rush,” he said.
He also criticised the pricing formula proposed under the bill, describing it as unfavourable to cocoa farmers.
“The formula they want to use now for cocoa pricing, we think, is inimical to the interest of the cocoa industry,” he stated.
The former Information Minister explained that although the proposal initially referred to paying farmers 70 per cent of Free on Board (FOB) prices, a different pricing mechanism is now being considered.
“They want to say that they are going to pay 70 per cent. Well, initially they said FOB prices. Now they are coming up with some other mechanism for it,” he noted.
Mr Oppong Nkrumah warned that the proposed arrangement could weaken the minimum guaranteed farm-gate price, which he said has long served as an incentive for cocoa production.
“It will put a lot of our cocoa farmers at a disadvantage because what it will do is that it will not be able to do what we have done from times past, provide what we call the minimum guarantee farm gate price, which is what now encourages people to go into cocoa farming for the year because they know that for this year this is the price that is being guaranteed.”
He added that a fluctuating pricing system would not suit the structure of Ghana’s cocoa industry.
“It’s going to be undulating, which we think is not helpful for the peculiar type of industry that we have,” he said.
Mr Oppong Nkrumah called on Parliament to suspend efforts to fast-track the bill and instead engage cocoa farmers and other stakeholders before taking a final decision.
“So we’ve asked that they don’t rush it through. Let’s have an opportunity to engage. Let’s bring cocoa farmers in. Let’s hear from them. Let’s have their input into the law that you want us to pass.”
He stressed that discussions on the bill were still ongoing and said the Minority would continue to make further submissions before Parliament reaches a final decision.
“So again, on that one, it’s not a done deal yet. We will be making a lot more submissions on it.”
