Celebrations marking National Chocolate Week in Parliament took a political turn after the New Patriotic Party (NPP) Minority Caucus reportedly rejected chocolates distributed by the Minister for Tourism, Arts and Culture, Dzifa Gomashie.
The gesture, intended to commemorate Chocolate Week — which coincided with Valentine’s Day on February 14 — was met with protest from the Minority, who argued that it was inappropriate at a time when cocoa farmers were grappling with a reduction in producer prices.
The Caucus criticised government’s decision to cut the producer price of cocoa from GH¢3,625 to GH¢2,587 per 64-kilogramme bag, describing the move as a setback for farmers already facing economic hardship.
Contributing to a statement delivered by the Minister on the floor of the House, Nana Asafo-Adjei Ayeh, NPP Member of Parliament for Bosome-Freho, maintained that distributing chocolates in Parliament did little to address the concerns of aggrieved farmers.
Jerry Ahmed Shaib, NPP MP for Weija-Gbawe, further alleged that some cocoa farmers had begun cutting down their cocoa trees in protest against the revised prices.
However, Majority Leader Mahama Ayariga pushed back against the Minority’s position, accusing them of inciting farmers. He argued that promoting chocolate consumption was essential to sustaining the cocoa industry, adding humorously that if people stopped eating chocolate, there would be no market to support farmers.
In a lighter exchange, Mr Ayariga joked that Nana Asafo-Adjei Ayeh had secretly pocketed some chocolates despite the protest, drawing laughter across the chamber.
Beyond Parliament, the reduction in cocoa producer prices has triggered a wider national debate, with some Ghanaians supporting government’s efforts to reform the sector, while others criticise the move as inconsistent with earlier commitments to protect farmers’ incomes.
The incident underscores the political and economic sensitivity surrounding Ghana’s cocoa industry, where policy decisions continue to spark intense public and parliamentary scrutiny.
