Dennis Miracles Aboagye, an aide to former Vice-President Dr. Mahamudu Bawumia, has issued a heartfelt plea to the government to honour its campaign promise of GH₵6,000 per tonne and ensure cocoa farmers receive fair payment for their labour. Speaking on Channel One TV on August 6, 2025, he described the price of GH₵3,228.75 per 64 kg bag—equivalent to US $5,040 per tonne—as grossly inadequate, urging authorities to “give them what you promised them”.
Miracles Aboagye emphasised that farmers endure hardship, disease, and income uncertainty long before their beans reach international buyers. He called for a non-partisan approach, stressing that cocoa pricing must transcend party rhetoric: “Forget about NPP” and focus on the farmers’ well‑being.
While the new producer price represents a 62.6% increase from the previous US $3,100/tonne rate, it fulfills only part of the 70% FOB (Free‑on‑Board) policy the government cited in setting it. At approximately GH₵3,228.75 per bag, farmers argue the payout remains sharply lower than campaign promises and cost pressures they face.
Analysts and organizers supporting farmers highlight that cocoa sector conditions—ranging from inflation and input costs to transport and smuggling pressures—make the announced price feel like a token gesture. Many farmers and critics see the gap between GH₵6,000 and the actual rate as an example of political expediency rather than genuine economic relief.
Miracles Aboagye’s appeal reflects a broader sentiment within the farming community and the parliamentary minority, which has characterized the official price as “ridiculous, unfair and completely unacceptable”. Their message: raising the price may fulfill technical guidelines, but failing to meet public promise undermines trust—particularly before general elections.
The farmer appeal comes amid widespread demands for structural reforms: consistent execution of the 70% FOB policy, improved agricultural inputs (including subsidised fertiliser), better enforcement against smuggling, and transparent distribution of revenue through COCOBOD.
Critics also warn that unless messaging aligns with materially better payouts, successive governments risk alienating cocoa-producing communities—more than two million voters—with cumulative effects on electoral outcomes. Ghana’s cocoa regions have borne repeated price shocks, wage erosion, and gaps between market gains and local farmgate returns
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