The Member of Parliament for Damongo, Samuel Abu Jinapor has called for urgent reforms in Ghana’s cocoa sector, urging government officials to acknowledge what he describes as serious challenges affecting farmers and the broader industry.
Speaking on the floor of Parliament on Tuesday, Mr. Jinapor compared Ghana’s cocoa performance with that of neighboring Côte d’Ivoire, noting that both countries share similar population sizes and industry dynamics.
He emphasised that although Ghana is widely recognised for producing premium cocoa, farmers are currently receiving lower prices than their counterparts across the border.
According to Mr. Jinapor, who is also the Ranking Member of Parliament’s Foreign Affairs and Regional Integration Committee, Côte d’Ivoire has managed to maintain stronger producer prices despite facing similar global headwinds, including fluctuations in international cocoa prices and other external shocks
He suggested that this contrast raises important questions about domestic policy decisions and the management of Ghana’s cocoa sector.
The legislator also expressed concern about what he described as one of the most significant reductions in cocoa producer prices in Ghana’s history, noting that such a situation has not occurred in the post-independence era dating back to Kwame Nkrumah in 1957.
Mr. Jinapor urged the government to take responsibility for the current state of affairs and to adopt a more responsive and informed approach to managing the cocoa industry.
He stressed the need for transparency, sound judgment in cocoa trading, and policies that prioritise the welfare of farmers.
The comments come at a time when Ghana’s cocoa sector—long considered a major backbone of the national economy—is grappling with pricing concerns and broader structural challenges.
Industry watchers say the debate underscores the importance of sustainable policy decisions to protect farmers’ incomes and strengthen Ghana’s competitiveness in the global cocoa market.
Member of Parliament for Yapei-Kusawgu, John Jinapor, has launched a sharp attack on the Minority in Parliament, accusing them of reckless management of the cocoa sector and attempts to politicise the country’s current challenges.
Addressing the issue in Parliament, Mr. Jinapor said the opposition had no moral right to criticise the present administration, insisting that the problems confronting the cocoa sector were largely inherited from the previous government.
“You left this burden to the NDC administration — the least you can do is commend Mahama, or shut up,” he said, firing back at Minority MPs he accused of misleading the public on the state of the cocoa industry.
Mr. Jinapor defended the record of the National Democratic Congress (NDC), stating that when the party left office, Ghana’s debt stood at about $19 billion.
In contrast, he alleged that the New Patriotic Party (NPP) handed over a far worse situation, leaving behind a debt of approximately $36 billion, with severe implications for key sectors such as cocoa.
He warned the Minority against what he described as deliberate efforts to score political points over cocoa sector reforms, stressing that such actions undermine national interest and the welfare of cocoa farmers.
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