Tensions unfolded in Parliament on Friday, February 27, 2026, as lawmakers from the **New Patriotic Party** (NPP) Minority Caucus staged a dramatic protest just before President **John Dramani Mahama** began delivering the 2026 State of the Nation Address (SONA).
Dressed entirely in black, the MPs donned sashes reading *“Cocoa Akuafo, yayɛ mɔbɔ dodo”* (Cocoa farmers, we are suffering greatly) to highlight what they described as the worsening conditions facing cocoa farmers. Some of the lawmakers also placed cocoa pods on the chamber floor as a symbolic representation of declining production and the hardships faced by those in the sector.
The protest featured chants and slogans drawing attention to falling cocoa yields, reduced producer prices, and the perceived neglect of farmers despite the importance of cocoa to Ghana’s economy.
According to the Minority Caucus, the black attire represented mourning for cocoa farmers, sending a message that the government must urgently address the sector’s challenges to protect livelihoods and ensure sustainable growth.
