The Ghana Catholic Bishops’ Conference has made an urgent request to the government and relevant stakeholders to tackle the escalating crisis in Ghana’s cocoa industry.
In a press release dated Friday, February 20, 2026, the Conference cautioned that cocoa farmers who have not been paid are facing increasing debt, interrupted education, and heightened susceptibility to illegal mining activities.
The bishops pointed out the challenges that farmers have encountered due to delays in payments for cocoa that has already been delivered.
“For several months, numerous farmers have suffered from payment delays, leading to unpaid labor, disrupted education, increasing debt, and heightened vulnerability to illegal mining,” the statement indicated.
They noted that the decline in producer prices has exacerbated the situation, undermining confidence in the industry.
The Conference emphasized that farmers should not be solely responsible for the systemic challenges they face.
“Equity and justice require that the accumulated surpluses from years of significant profits be utilized to support farmers during challenging times. To penalize them for circumstances beyond their control would be both insensitive and morally indefensible,” the statement asserted.
The Bishops also cautioned about Ghana’s diminishing position in the global cocoa market, highlighting Ecuador, Nigeria, and Cameroon as emerging competitors.
They mentioned climate stress and land degradation due to illegal mining as additional factors jeopardizing the stability of the sector.
The Conference urged immediate corrective actions, including the payment of outstanding debts, transparent restructuring of the Ghana Cocoa Board, consistent producer prices, and increased youth involvement in cocoa production.
Bishop Matthew Kwasi Gyamfi, the President of the Conference, stated, “The salvation of Ghana’s cocoa industry is not just an economic challenge. It is a moral obligation. Justice for cocoa farmers equates to justice for Ghana.”
