A member of the New Patriotic Party (NPP) Communications Team in the Tema West Constituency, James Tamakloe, has urged the National Democratic Congress (NDC) government and the Chief Executive Officer of the Ghana Cocoa Board (COCOBOD), Randy Abbey, to take responsibility for the worsening state of Ghana’s cocoa sector instead of engaging in what he described as a “blame game.”
Speaking on Nkosuo Nsem on Plan B FM, Tamakloe said the government must focus on fixing the deepening crisis in the cocoa industry, stressing that it has been in office long enough to address the challenges confronting farmers and industry players.
“You are in government, stop the blame game and fix the cocoa sector crisis,” he stated, directing his comments at both the COCOBOD leadership and the governing NDC.
His remarks follow the announcement by President John Dramani Mahama of an emergency Cabinet meeting scheduled for Wednesday, February 11, 2026, to address mounting challenges facing the cocoa sector. The announcement was made by the Minister of State in charge of Government Communications, Felix Kwakye Ofosu.
The emergency meeting comes amid growing concerns over prolonged payment delays to cocoa farmers, liquidity constraints at COCOBOD, and warnings from industry stakeholders about a possible collapse of the sector if urgent measures are not taken.
Tamakloe questioned the government’s handling of the cocoa industry, arguing that the persistent difficulties facing farmers point to leadership and management failures at COCOBOD. He maintained that cocoa farmers deserve prompt payments and clear policies to safeguard their livelihoods and sustain the sector, which remains a critical pillar of Ghana’s economy.
The cocoa sector has in recent months come under intense public scrutiny, with farmer groups and analysts calling for swift reforms to restore confidence and prevent further deterioration of the industry.
By: Bernard Mensah
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