President John Dramani Mahama has called for a fundamental shift in Ghana’s cocoa sector, warning that continued reliance on raw exports leaves the country vulnerable to global price shocks.
His remarks come in the wake of a sharp decline in international cocoa prices, which compelled the government to cut the producer price from GH¢3,625 to GH¢2,587 per bag—a 28.6% reduction aimed at maintaining competitiveness on the world market.
The decision has sparked dissatisfaction among farmers, with some staging protests after a visit by members of the Minority Caucus in Parliament. In a widely circulated video, one farmer expressed frustration in Twi, saying: “Mahama, you owe us. Whatever you do, you owe us.”
Addressing the Ghanaian community in Philadelphia on Thursday, March 26, 2026, President Mahama acknowledged the concerns and pointed to long-standing structural challenges within the sector.
“The recent incident with cocoa, with the prices plummeting, and you see all the videos — an aggrieved cocoa farmer saying that I owe them,” he said.
Kemi Badenoch: UK should have voted against Ghana’s slavery resolution
“It is because for almost seventy years after we gained independence, we’re still exporting raw beans to the world. I believe that what has happened in the international market should be a wake-up call for us.”
He emphasised the need for Ghana to move beyond exporting raw cocoa beans and prioritise value addition as a way to shield farmers from volatility in global commodity markets and strengthen the sector’s long-term resilience.
President John Dramani Mahama has responded to the viral “Mahama Wo De Yen Ka” cocoa farmer video, explaining that for nearly 70 years, Ghana has exported raw cocoa beans to the international market, a practice he says has caused more harm than good due to shifts in global demand… pic.twitter.com/PWGQhHlXHl
— LOVIN GHANA TV (@lovinghanaTV) March 27, 2026
