Dennis Miracles Aboagye, Senior aide to Dr. Mahamudu Bawumia, has raised concern over delays in payments to cocoa farmers, urging government to settle about GH¢6.5 billion reportedly owed to them.
According to him, the last disbursement of GH¢4.2 billion made on March 12, 2026, to Licensed Buying Companies for onward payment to cocoa farmers was followed by no further release, leaving farmers without additional payments and still in uncertainty.
Speaking on Eyewithness news on Thursday June 18, he argued that the delays have pushed farmers into months of hardship, including the peak harvest and festive period, which he said is unprecedented in the country’s cocoa history.
He said the total amount owed to cocoa farmers stood at GH¢11.5 billion, adding that the part payment made so far is inadequate to sustain farmers, especially given the long gap since the first disbursement was released.
“Cocoa farmers had gone October, November, December, and January without being paid. They didn’t even celebrate Christmas. They were owed close to GH¢11.5 billion. When we brought it out, they denied it and said it wasn’t true.
“Until we went around the cocoa farms, then they had no choice. Until cocoa farmers came to Accra to protest, then they had no choice again. Then they came to admit it. When they finally admitted it, they called what they described as an emergency cabinet meeting.
“Only for them to come out and say they were going to pay GH¢11 billion. The first week after that announcement, they released about GH¢5 billion. As we speak, cocoa farmers are still owed about GH¢6.5 billion. The last time any payment was released was about four months ago,” he stated.
