Accra: The Member of Parliament for Karaga, Dr Mohammed Amin Adam, has openly criticized the government's newly announced cocoa sector reforms, specifically targeting the Minister of Finance, Dr Cassiel Ato Forson, for allegedly neglecting the welfare of cocoa farmers.
According to Ghana Web, Dr Amin Adam expressed his dissatisfaction at a press conference on February 13, 2026, where he anticipated a comprehensive restructuring roadmap. Instead, he was disappointed by what he perceived as measures that undermine the producers. He stated that the Minister of Finance's announcement appeared to shortchange cocoa farmers rather than provide a genuine restructuring of the cocoa sector.
Dr Amin Adam argued that prior to the change in administration, a detailed turnaround strategy for the Ghana Cocoa Board (COCOBOD) had been developed in collaboration with the International Monetary Fund (IMF). This strategy aimed to comprehensively reform COCOBOD, strengthen its finances, and improve efficiency across the cocoa value chain. He contended that the current challenges in the cocoa sector stem from the government's failure to implement this framework.
He further criticized some of the measures announced by the Minister of Finance, such as transferring the cost of cocoa roads to the Ministry of Roads, which he claimed were already included in the previous blueprint. Dr Amin Adam highlighted that proposals like a legislated transparent pricing framework and the removal of certain cost components that reduce farmers' share of revenue have yet to be acted upon.
Additionally, he criticized COCOBOD's involvement in non-core activities and emphasized that the turnaround strategy aimed to refocus the institution on its primary mandate while improving procurement efficiency. Dr Amin Adam concluded that had the previous plan been effectively executed, a fresh restructuring announcement would have been unnecessary.