The Ghana Catholic Bishops’ Conference has called on President John Dramani Mahama and parliament to intervene in what it calls a deepening crisis in Ghana’s cocoa industry, warning that delayed payments, falling producer prices, and global competition are pushing farmers into poverty.
The Church expressed concern about the effects of unpaid cocoa deliveries and declining confidence among farmers, warning that the situation is undermining rural livelihoods and increasing vulnerability to illegal mining and debt.
In a statement released on Friday, the Catholic Bishops noted that many farmers have endured delays in payment for cocoa already delivered, resulting in unpaid labour, disrupted schooling, mounting debt, and growing vulnerability to illegal mining.
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They criticised the recent reduction in producer prices, saying it has further eroded confidence and intensified hardship for farming communities.
They emphasised that while international commodity prices fluctuate, it would be unjust to make farmers bear the full burden of systemic and historical failures, saying that accumulated surpluses from better years should be used to cushion workers in challenging times.
“Equity and justice demand that accumulated surpluses be used to cushion farmers in difficult years. To penalise them for circumstances beyond their control would be insensitive and morally indefensible,” the Conference said.
The statement also highlighted Ghana’s declining position in the world cocoa market, pointing out that Ecuador is on track to overtake Ghana as the second-largest producer globally, while production from Nigeria and Cameroon could form a third competitive bloc.
The Bishops warned that climate stress and land degradation from illegal mining are compounding the crisis, potentially undermining the industry that supports hundreds of thousands of Ghanaian families.
The Conference urged immediate settlement of all cocoa payment arrears, transparent restructuring of the Ghana Cocoa Board, and a sustained producer price regime to support farmers’ incomes. It also called for greater investment in productivity, youth engagement, research, and local processing.
The Bishops stressed the need for a depoliticised national dialogue that centres on farmers’ welfare and sustainable growth of the cocoa sector.
The church leaders indicated that a detailed pastoral letter outlining the crisis and proposed solutions has been privately delivered to President Mahama and the leadership of Parliament for consideration.
Bishop Matthew Kwasi Gyamfi, President of the Ghana Catholic Bishops’ Conference and Bishop of Sunyani, who signed the statement, described the call to action as a moral duty.
“The rescue of Ghana’s cocoa industry is not merely an economic task. It is a moral imperative. Justice for cocoa farmers is justice for Ghana,” the statement said.