'Totally absurd’ – Kodua dismisses NDC’s cocoa sector allegations against NPP

The General Secretary of the New Patriotic Party (NPP), Justin Frimpong Kodua, has strongly criticised the governing National Democratic Congress (NDC) over recent developments in the cocoa sector, describing attempts to blame the NPP for the shortfalls as “absurd” and “untenable.”

Addressing the issue of cocoa pricing on TV3 on Friday, February 13, 2026, Kodua rejected claims that the previous New Patriotic Party (NPP) administration mismanaged the sector.

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“Well, it would be totally absurd, repugnant, and unconscionable on the part of the NDC government to label any blame against the New Patriotic Party for their incompetence. At least they have been in government for over a year now, and when they took over the realm of affairs, they were mindful of the state of the economy,” he said.

Kodua pointed to cocoa pricing adjustments in 2025 to support his argument.

According to him, the government did not accuse the NPP when it increased prices, but now does so following price cuts.

“In 2025, the cocoa price was around GH₵3,100 per bag, and somewhere during July, they increased it to GH₵3,600. So, when they increased the cocoa price, they didn't accuse the previous government of mismanagement, of having destroyed the cocoa sector.

“If the sector was destroyed, how were you able to increase the cocoa price? So, that accusation that they are trying to label against the New Patriotic Party is untenable,” he argued.

He further criticised the government’s decision to reduce the cocoa price from GH₵3,625 to GH₵2,587, describing it as evidence of poor leadership.

“If you want to understand the real cause of where we are as a government, as a party, and as a country, then people will also appreciate that, indeed, the decision by the NDC government to reduce the price from GH₵3,625 to GH₵2,587 explains how the government is lost in the ocean,” Kodua noted.

Kodua said that the crisis in the cocoa sector began in October, when farmers who had cultivated their produce sold to purchasing clerks under agreed payment terms.

“This issue about the crisis started somewhere in October where cocoa farmers, after they had cultivated their produce, had to sell it to people referred to as purchasing clerks. In some instances where the purchasing clerks don't have money, they take the cocoa bags under the terms and agreement that they are going to pay the cocoa farmers X amount, which at that time was GH₵3,600.

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“At that point, the farmer never anticipated that a day would come when the government would come back and tell the cocoa farmer that it had reduced the price which has been agreed between the purchasing clerk and the farmer… At what point did the government get to know that there were serious issues in the cocoa sector?” he questioned.

The NPP General Secretary has, therefore, urged the government to provide clear answers on the timing and rationale behind the price reduction.

MAG/AE

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