'I'm not a cocoa farmer, I was paid to join protest' – Demonstrator claims

A concerned citizen has disclosed that himself and some people who joined the cocoa farmers’ protest in Sefwi-Wiawso were not actually cocoa farmers and were not directly affected by the drop in cocoa prices.

According to the concerned citizen, they joined the protest after being offered GH¢250 to participate.

The individual did not disclose the identity of the person or group that offered the money but confirmed that the payment motivated them to join the protest.

Cocoa farmers want price restoration, not management pay cuts - Nyarko

“They came to give us money so we could join the demonstration. We’re not cocoa farmers, they just came to pick us up and gave us GH¢250 to participate, and we accepted it,” the citizen said.

The demonstration was staged on February 19, 2026, by the Forum for Accountability of Sefwi Cocoa Farmers, a group representing cocoa farmers in Ghana’s Western North Region.

The farmers were protesting the reduction in the producer price of cocoa, which has dropped from GH¢3,600 to GH¢2,587 per tonne, despite rising costs for farm inputs, transportation, and the general cost of living.

According to them, the new price makes cocoa farming increasingly unprofitable.

Carrying placards with messages such as “Save the Cocoa Farmer” and “Our Labour Deserves Better Pay,” the protesters marched through the main streets of Sefwi-Wiawso, calling on the government to urgently review the pricing decision.

Some farmers warned that if the situation is not addressed, many may be forced to abandon their farms, a move that could impact cocoa production in the region.

Watch the video below:

“We are not cocoa farmers, and we were given 250 cedis to stage this demonstration.” — A concerned citizen

Yagyi gya chale😂🔥 pic.twitter.com/xFBbwP1e5z

— DANIEL❤️ (@BLOCKHOLDER8) February 19, 2026