Cocoa farmers across Ghana are raising alarm over a growing financial crisis caused by delayed payments for their produce, with many blaming the Ghana Cocoa Board (COCOBOD) and the government for mismanagement and neglect.

Farmers, who form the backbone of the nation’s cocoa industry, say Licensed Buying Companies (LBCs) have failed to pay them for months, leaving them unable to cover basic household needs.

Testimonies from affected farmers paint a dire picture. Many are struggling to feed their families and pay school fees, the New Patriotic Party said at a press conference held on Wednesday.

while some report deteriorating health due to stress and lack of access to medical care. Others have taken high-interest loans to cope, plunging them further into debt.

One farmer lamented, “We have worked hard, harvested our cocoa, and delivered it, yet we are left empty-handed.

How do we survive?”

Farmers accuse COCOBOD of failing to ensure timely payments and of poor oversight of LBCs.

Key concerns include misallocation of funds within COCOBOD, lack of transparency in financial dealings, and the failure of successive governments to prioritise farmers’ welfare despite political promises.

While cocoa is touted as a “national treasure,” those who cultivate it remain impoverished.

The crisis has also sparked political debate.

Farmers accuse both the National Democratic Congress (NDC) and the New Patriotic Party (NPP) of neglecting rural livelihoods, and the situation is seen as a test of the current administration’s commitment to cocoa farmers.

The NPP is using the issue to highlight what they describe as broader governance failures.

Farmers and advocacy groups are now demanding urgent action, calling for the immediate release of funds to settle all outstanding payments, stronger regulation of LBCs to prevent future delays, a transparent audit of COCOBOD’s finances, and long-term reforms to safeguard farmers from recurring payment crises.

Beyond individual suffering, the delayed payments threaten the broader cocoa sector.

Reduced farmer morale could affect future production, dissatisfaction may spark political unrest in cocoa-growing regions, and Ghana’s reputation as a reliable cocoa exporter could be undermined internationally.