Oppong Nkrumah Urges Mahama To Rescind COCOBOD Bill During Parliament Recall

Ofoase Ayirebi Member of Parliament Kojo Oppong Nkrumah has called on President John Dramani Mahama to use the ongoing recall of Parliament to rescind the Ghana Cocoa Board (COCOBOD) Bill, 2026, and address concerns raised by the Minority.

In a post on X on Wednesday, Oppong Nkrumah posted:

“It is interesting to hear that Parliament has been recalled. I pray Mr. President will use it as an opportunity to rescind the new COCOBOD Bill and address the problematic portions before re-passing it," he wrote. 

He further accused the government of rushing the legislation without adequately addressing seven problematic clauses identified by the Minority. Oppong Nkrumah claimed that while authorities assert broad consultations with cocoa farmers took place, farmers have disputed this, describing the claims as untrue. The bill, he noted, affects at least four million people in the cocoa value chain.

Parliament passed the Ghana COCOBOD Bill on July 30, 2026. Key provisions include a statutory guarantee that cocoa farmers will receive not less than 70 per cent of the Free on Board (FOB) export price, a requirement for at least 50 per cent local processing of cocoa beans, the establishment of a Cocoa Sector Debt Sinking Fund, and other measures aimed at reforming the sector and improving farmer welfare.

The Minority has consistently argued that the bill was passed under a certificate of urgency with insufficient stakeholder engagement. The Majority has defended the legislation and urged the President to assent to it promptly ahead of the new cocoa season.

The call comes as Parliament has been recalled, providing a potential window for further legislative action on the matter.