Parliament has passed the Ghana COCOBOD Bill, 2026, establishing a comprehensive legal framework to regulate, oversee and monitor the cocoa value chain, improve farmer welfare, and enhance revenue generation.
The legislation guarantees cocoa farmers a minimum of 70 per cent of the Free on Board (FOB) price, requires at least 50 per cent of cocoa beans to be processed locally, protects the cocoa farm environment, and establishes a cocoa tribunal to address infractions in the sector.
The Bill consolidates fragmented cocoa laws into a single framework, repealing outdated enactments and providing statutory backing for key institutions such as the Producer Price Review Committee.
It also introduces new mechanisms including a Cocoa Farmers Pension Scheme, an Educational Trust Scheme, a Cocoa Sector Debt Sinking Fund, and a Cocoa Stabilisation and Diversification Fund to cushion farmers against price shocks and support long-term sustainability.
Presenting the Finance Committee’s report, Mr Isaac Adongo, Chairman of the Committee and MP for Bolgatanga Central, said broad consultations were held with stakeholders to secure buy-in and make the legislation holistic.
He emphasised that the bill would improve the livelihoods of cocoa farmers.
Mr Thomas Nyarko Ampem, Deputy Minister of Finance, explained that the legislation would prioritise scholarships for children of cocoa farmers pursuing agriculture-related courses, enabling them to contribute meaningfully to the management of family-owned cocoa farms.
He added that the bill provides COCOBOD with multiple funding sources for cocoa purchases and addresses funding gaps.
Meanwhile, the Minority side stating their position on the urgency of the bill, Mr Kojo Oppong Nkrumah, NPP MP for Ofoase Ayirebi and Deputy Ranking Member on the Economy and Development Committee, opposed the bill being treated under a certificate of urgency.
He argued that the cocoa sector affects more than 800,000 farmers and supports the livelihoods of over four million people, stressing the need for broader stakeholder engagement rather than rushing the process.
The passage of the bill marks a significant step in reshaping Ghana’s cocoa sector, balancing farmer welfare, local processing, fiscal sustainability, and environmental protection.
Source , GNA
