Accra: The Minority Caucus in Parliament has vocally criticized President John Dramani Mahama for signing the Ghana Cocoa Board Bill, 2026, into law despite widespread objections. Dr. Isaac Yaw Opoku, the Ranking Member on Parliament's Agriculture Committee, conveyed his disappointment over the President's decision, highlighting missed opportunities to address significant flaws in the legislation before it was enacted.
According to Ghana Web, Dr. Opoku, who is also the Co-Chairman of the NPP Policy Committee on Agriculture, disclosed that essential stakeholders in the cocoa industry were excluded during the drafting and approval stages in Parliament. He identified key groups such as the Ghana National Cocoa Farmers Association, the Ghana National Best Cocoa Farmers Association, and various Licensed Buying Companies as having been overlooked throughout the legislative process.
The Ranking Member emphasized the long-term implications of the new legislation, arguing that a thorough examination and inclusive stakeholder engagement should have been obligatory due to the law's lasting impact on the sector. He noted that the Minority had pinpointed at least eight contentious provisions that needed rigorous review, accusing the government of dismissing alternative perspectives.
Dr. Opoku also advised against giving any single political party an overwhelming majority in Parliament, warning that such disproportionate power compromises democratic accountability. He claimed that the current NDC administration is using its numerical advantage to push through controversial measures that ultimately harm national interests.