The Member of Parliament for Damongo, Samuel Abu Jinapor, has called for urgent reforms in Ghana’s cocoa sector, urging government officials to confront what he described as serious challenges affecting farmers and the wider industry.
Speaking on the floor of Parliament on Tuesday, Mr. Jinapor compared Ghana’s cocoa performance with that of Côte d’Ivoire, noting that both nations share similar population sizes and play dominant roles in the global cocoa market. He stressed that despite these similarities, Ghanaian farmers are currently receiving lower producer prices than their counterparts across the border.
According to the Damongo MP, this disparity is particularly troubling given Ghana’s long-standing reputation for producing premium-quality cocoa. He argued that while global price fluctuations and external economic shocks have affected both countries, Côte d’Ivoire has managed to maintain stronger returns for its farmers.
Mr. Jinapor, who also serves as Ranking Member of Parliament’s Foreign Affairs and Regional Integration Committee, suggested that the contrast in producer prices raises important questions about domestic policy decisions and the management structure of Ghana’s cocoa sector. He called for a comprehensive review to address inefficiencies and restore confidence among farmers.
The legislator further expressed concern over what he described as one of the most significant reductions in cocoa producer prices in Ghana’s post-independence history, tracing the country’s cocoa legacy back to Kwame Nkrumah in 1957.
