The Ranking Member of Parliament’s Defence and Interior Committee, Rev John Ntim Fordjour, has accused the Mahama administration of deceiving Ghana’s cocoa farmers with what he describes as empty promises and unfair pricing. 

According to the Assin South MP, farmers feel betrayed after being led to expect significantly higher producer prices under the National Democratic Congress (NDC) government.

“Cocoa farmers are highly disappointed in the deception of NDC and Prez Mahama’s government,” Rev Ntim Fordjour stated.

He recalled that in 2024, the NDC claimed farmers deserved GH₵6,500 per bag of cocoa, compared to the GH₵3,100 paid under the New Patriotic Party (NPP) at the time. 

“They later promised to pay GH₵7,200 per bag in 2025,” he added, describing the pledge as politically expedient and misleading.

The Assin South MP criticised the government for falling drastically short of its own promise, revealing that farmers are now receiving just GH₵3,228 per bag — barely an improvement on the previous NPP rate. 

“Today, cocoa farmers are shortchanged with paltry GH₵3,228 per bag,” he said, insisting that the reality on the ground exposes the inconsistency in the NDC’s rhetoric versus its actions in government.

The 2024/2025 producer price in Ghana was pegged at Gh₵3,228.75 per bag, a figure some cocoa farmers have described as inadequate and far below expectation.

The current debate adds to mounting pressure on COCOBOD and the Ministry of Agriculture to prioritise farmer welfare and ensure equitable distribution of proceeds from the cocoa trade.