The Ghana Catholic Bishops’ Conference has called for decisive and immediate interventions to address what it describes as a deepening crisis in Ghana’s cocoa sector, warning that prolonged inaction could further erode farmer confidence and weaken the country’s global standing.
In a press statement issued by the National Catholic Secretariat in Accra, the bishops expressed grave concern over delayed payments to farmers and the recent reduction in producer prices.
“For months, many farmers have endured delays in payment for cocoa already delivered, resulting in unpaid labour, disrupted schooling, mounting debt, and growing vulnerability to illegal mining,” the statement noted.
The Conference stressed that cocoa farmers should not be forced to shoulder the full burden of systemic and historical challenges within the sector. According to the bishops, while market fluctuations are inevitable, price stability should be maintained during difficult years, just as producers benefit during windfall periods.
“To penalise farmers for circumstances beyond their control would be insensitive and morally indefensible,” the statement said.
The bishops also warned that Ghana’s dominance in the global cocoa market is under increasing threat. They cited rising production in Ecuador and the combined output of Nigeria and Cameroon as serious competitive pressures.
“These shifts, alongside climate stress and land degradation from illegal mining, place Ghana at a strategic crossroads,” the statement emphasised.
Key Demands
Among their recommendations, the bishops called for:
- Immediate payment of all outstanding arrears owed to farmers;
- Transparent financial restructuring of the Ghana Cocoa Board;
- Sustained investment in productivity and research;
- Greater youth participation in cocoa farming; and
- A depoliticised national dialogue focused squarely on farmers’ welfare.
The Conference further disclosed that a detailed pastoral letter on the cocoa crisis has been formally presented to President John Dramani Mahama and the leadership of Parliament of Ghana for consideration.
Signing the statement, the President of the Conference, Matthew Kwasi Gyamfi, described the situation as one that transcends economics.
“The rescue of Ghana’s cocoa industry is not merely an economic task. It is a moral imperative. Justice for cocoa farmers is justice for Ghana,” he stated.
The bishops’ intervention adds a strong moral voice to ongoing debates about the future of the cocoa sector, long regarded as a backbone of the national economy.
