The Chairman of Parliament’s Food, Agriculture and Cocoa Affairs Committee, Dr Godfred Seidu Jasaw, has defended Parliament’s decision to pass the new Cocoa Bill under a certificate of urgency, explaining that the legislation was required ahead of the 2026/2027 cocoa season.

He said the delay of the Bill until Parliament resumes from recess in October could have affected the implementation of planned reforms, particularly those relating to cocoa pricing and financing arrangements.

Dr Jasaw said the cocoa sector remains a key component of Ghana’s economy and continues to face several challenges, including the impact of climate change, illegal mining, declining productivity and difficulties in securing sustainable financing.

According to him, the new law is intended to provide a stronger regulatory framework for addressing some of these challenges, although it should be seen as part of a broader reform process rather than a complete solution to all problems confronting the sector.

“Enacting this new law is not the end in itself, but it is a step towards consolidating all the regulations and laws that have hitherto governed the subsector,” he said.

The lawmaker explained that the urgency surrounding the passage of the Bill was linked to the start of the new cocoa season in September, when decisions on producer prices and other sector arrangements would have to be made.

He said the government needed the legal backing provided by the legislation before implementing changes to the cocoa pricing and financing system.

Speaking on Citi FM on Monday, August 3, Dr Jasaw said Parliament’s recess schedule also influenced the decision to fast-track the process, as lawmakers would not return until October.

He argued that postponing the passage of the Bill could have created legal difficulties for the government in carrying out planned interventions in the cocoa industry.

Dr Jasaw further dismissed claims that Parliament hurriedly approved the legislation without adequate consultation, insisting that extensive engagements were held with stakeholders before the Bill reached the House.

He said the Ghana Cocoa Board had undertaken consultations in cocoa-growing communities, while Parliament’s joint Finance and Food, Agriculture and Cocoa Affairs Committees also reviewed the proposed law before its consideration and passage.

“The stakeholder consultation is not a one-off thing. It’s a process. As many stakeholders as possible, in my view, were consulted,” he added.