Two major labour unions in Ghana’s cocoa sector have endorsed the government’s proposed reforms to the Ghana Cocoa Board (COCOBOD), while strongly opposing plans to reduce salaries of senior and management staff.
The Industrial and Commercial Workers’ Union (ICU) and the General Agricultural Workers’ Union (GAWU) of the Trade Union Congress (Ghana) (TUC) described the reform measures as timely and potentially transformative for the cocoa industry.
In a joint statement signed by Mr. Morgan Ayawine, General Secretary of ICU-Ghana, and Mr. Andrews Addoquaye Tagoe, General Secretary of GAWU of TUC-Ghana, the unions praised the government’s efforts to restructure the operations of Ghana Cocoa Board.
The endorsement follows a press briefing on February 12, 2026, by Finance Minister Cassiel Ato Forson, during which he announced a series of measures aimed at restoring financial stability and operational efficiency at COCOBOD.
Value Addition and Debt Relief
Among the key reforms is a new financing model that will allow COCOBOD to allocate 50 percent of Ghana’s cocoa output to the Cocoa Processing Company and other local processors for domestic value addition.
The unions believe this initiative will boost local processing capacity, promote industrialization, and create employment opportunities for young people.
They also welcomed the decision to offload COCOBOD’s legacy debt to the Ministry of Finance and the Bank of Ghana, as well as the introduction of an automatic price adjustment mechanism to align producer prices with movements in world market prices and exchange rates.
According to the statement, these interventions reflect long-standing proposals submitted by ICU-Ghana and GAWU to address the financial and operational challenges confronting COCOBOD and the Produce Buying Company (PBC).
The unions said the reforms would give COCOBOD and PBC “a new lease of life” and provide the momentum needed to stabilize and modernize Ghana’s cocoa industry.
Salary Cuts Spark Opposition
Despite their support for the broader reform agenda, the unions expressed strong opposition to the decision to reduce the salaries of senior and management staff of COCOBOD.
They argued that the move could undermine staff morale and negatively affect productivity at a time when the organization requires maximum commitment from its workforce.
The unions further contended that the decision was taken without adherence to the established rules of engagement under Ghana’s labour laws and existing collective agreements.
They have therefore called for an immediate reversal of the salary reduction decision and urged management to engage the unions in meaningful dialogue to determine the way forward.
Call for Institutional Independence
Beyond the immediate reforms, the unions emphasized the need to establish strong governance structures that would insulate COCOBOD from external pressures and partisan political interference.
They stressed that safeguarding the institution’s independence is critical to ensuring the long-term sustainability of Ghana’s cocoa sector.
ICU-Ghana and GAWU also expressed confidence in the technical expertise and dedication of COCOBOD’s workforce, stating that employees across its divisions and subsidiaries are prepared to redouble their efforts to help the Board achieve its strategic objectives.
The statement concluded with a call for all stakeholders in the cocoa value chain to collaborate in sustaining the growth and transformation of one of Ghana’s most important economic sectors.
