Minority MPs storm Parliament with cocoa in protest of price cuts ahead of SONA

Maxwell Nyagamago 11:19 - 27 February 2026

The Minority Caucus has staged a protest in Parliament, bringing bags of cocoa to highlight their opposition to the government’s recent reduction of the cocoa producer price for the remainder of the 2025/2026 crop season, ahead of President John Dramani Mahama’s State of the Nation Address (SONA).

The minority MPs, dressed in black and wearing sashes inscribed with “Yay3 Mobo” to signify “we are sad”, said their action was meant to draw attention to the plight of cocoa farmers affected by the downward revision.

Finance Minister Dr Cassiel Ato Forson announced the decision on Thursday, February 12, following a meeting of the Producer Price Review Committee earlier that day. The government cited a slump in global cocoa prices and the need to shield farmers from prolonged uncertainty as the basis for the reduction.

According to Dr Forson, the Committee conducted a review of developments in the international cocoa market and considered the financial pressures within the sector before arriving at a new benchmark for farmers’ payments. tHe said;

“Based on the Committee’s recommendation, the new producer price is set at GH¢41,392 per tonne, equivalent to GH¢2,587 per bag, with immediate effect

The decision has generated controversy, with the Minority Caucus urging the government to reconsider. Speaking during the protest, an MP said,

This downward revision threatens the livelihoods of cocoa farmers who have already endured significant economic challenges.

Parliament is expected to discuss the matter further during deliberations on the upcoming SONA, as stakeholders in the cocoa sector continue to express concern over the impact of the revised price on production incentives and rural incomes.