The Minority in Parliament has signalled its preparedness to take steps to compel the Finance Minister, Cassiel Ato Forson, to appear before the House to address the deepening challenges confronting Ghana’s cocoa sector.

The caucus says the situation has become urgent, as government is yet to fully settle payments owed to cocoa farmers for produce purchased during the 2024/2025 planting season, a development that has triggered concern across major cocoa-growing communities.

Raising the matter on the floor of Parliament on Tuesday, February 17, Minority Leader Alexander Afenyo-Markin stated that his side of the House would not remain silent while cocoa farmers continue to struggle to receive compensation for their produce.

He stressed that the Minority considers the issue a national economic concern rather than a partisan matter.

“Mr. Speaker, this is a House of Parliament, a platform of the people’s representatives. This is where we discuss national issues. Mr. Speaker, the Majority Leader is telling the country that government policy can be announced anywhere and the Finance Minister is not obliged to come to the House of Parliament.

“Mr. Speaker, the cocoa farmers in Volta region, in Ashanti region, in Bono, in Western North have been denied their dues. If the Majority Leader will not bring the Finance Minister, we the Minority will use the appropriate laws available to us to summon the Finance Minister.”

The Minority’s position comes amid growing frustration within cocoa farming communities, where farmers say delays in payment are affecting their ability to prepare for the next season.

Cocoa farmers typically rely on timely payments to finance land preparation, purchase inputs, service loans, and support household needs.

Any disruption in the payment cycle can therefore ripple across rural economies, affecting local businesses, transport operators, and agricultural supply chains.

The Minority argues that the Finance Minister must personally brief Parliament on the causes of the payment delays, the funding gaps within the cocoa sector, and the measures being taken to stabilise the industry.