Laws needed to criminalize cocoa farm destruction for mining-President

President John Mahama has announced plans to introduce new laws aimed at outlawing the destruction of cocoa farms for mining activities. He emphasized the long-term economic value of cocoa farming compared to the short-lived benefits of gold mining, which often renders land infertile after extraction.

Speaking during a meeting with the Ghana Cocoa, Coffee, and Sheanut Farmers Association, he highlighted the need to safeguard the country’s cocoa industry. 

President Mahama revealed that his team is considering legislative approaches to curb the practice of replacing cocoa cultivation with mining operations.

In addition, he declared 2025 as the “Year of Correction” for the cocoa sector, promising reforms to revive the struggling industry. He criticized the previous administration’s handling of COCOBOD, pointing out that GH₵3.4 billion in expenditure last year went largely to administrative costs, rather than to supporting farmers.

“COCOBOD is now saddled with a debt of GH₵3.2 billion, with GH₵9 million due by September,” he said. “This money should have gone to benefit the farmers, not to pay off debt.”

Mahama also took issue with the increased staffing at COCOBOD despite falling cocoa output. “In any business, if output drops, adjustments are made. But during the previous administration, hiring increased even as production declined,” he noted.

He stressed the importance of fair compensation for cocoa farmers, arguing that producer prices should reflect at least 70% of cocoa earnings. He criticized past policies that allowed prices to fall below 40%, calling it a disincentive to farmers.

“The past four years saw little to no improvement in what farmers were paid, even with the weakening of the cedi. 2025 will mark a turning point to correct these imbalances and rebuild the sector,” Mahama affirmed.