The New Patriotic Party (NPP) has urged President John Dramani Mahama not to assent to the newly passed Ghana Cocoa Board (COCOBOD) Bill, 2026, calling for broader consultation with cocoa farmers and other stakeholders before the legislation becomes law. The NPP argues that the Bill was passed too quickly, limiting meaningful consultation on important changes to the cocoa sector.
The party has also raised concerns about provisions governing the destruction or uprooting of cocoa trees, arguing that the restrictions could affect farmers and landowners, particularly when dealing with old, diseased or unproductive trees.
The NPP’s position has triggered a political response from the Majority in Parliament. The Majority has called on President Mahama to disregard what it describes as “cheap propaganda” from the opposition and proceed with assenting to the Bill.
The disagreement has therefore placed the proposed COCOBOD reforms at the centre of a fresh political debate, with the two major parties taking opposing positions on whether the legislation should immediately become law or undergo further consultation.
