Afenyo-Markin demands immediate payment of Cocoa arrears
16th February 2026
The Minority Leader and Member of Parliament for Effutu, Alexander Afenyo-Markin, has urged the government to urgently clear outstanding payments owed to cocoa farmers, insisting that producers are more concerned about receiving their money than policy justifications.
Speaking against the backdrop of mounting challenges in Ghana’s cocoa sector, where farmers have complained of delayed payments stretching over several months, Mr Afenyo-Markin criticised recent government reforms, including the reduction of the producer price for the remainder of the 2025/2026 crop season.
Under the revised pricing structure, the producer price has been pegged at GH¢41,392 per tonne—equivalent to GH¢2,587 per bag—representing 90 per cent of the achieved gross Free On Board (FOB) price of $4,200 per tonne.
Government officials say the adjustment is intended to cushion farmers from declining global cocoa prices.
Addressing party supporters at the New Patriotic Party (NPP) Thanksgiving Ceremony on Sunday, February 15, 2026, Mr Afenyo-Markin described the price cut as worsening the plight of cocoa farmers.
“Cocoa farmers were being paid GH¢3,625 per bag. Today, the NDC government has reduced the price to GH¢2,587,” he said.
He stressed that farmers’ concerns go beyond political messaging and policy explanations. “What I want every NPP member to tell the NDC government is that it is not all about speaking very big English on social media and hiding behind CSOs.
The cocoa farmers want their money, so pay them,” he added.
The Minority Leader warned that the revised pricing regime would translate into significant income losses for farmers and signalled a robust response from the Minority Caucus in Parliament of Ghana.
“So, this week, for us, the Minority, it will be a scene to behold in Parliament. They must pay the cocoa farmers,” he emphasised.
Mr Afenyo-Markin’s comments add to the growing political pressure on the government to address payment delays and stabilise the cocoa sector, which supports hundreds of thousands of farming households and remains a critical pillar of Ghana’s economy.