Labour unions in Ghana’s cocoa sector have welcomed the government’s latest reform measures for the industry but strongly rejected plans to cut salaries of senior staff at the Ghana Cocoa Board, describing the move as unlawful and demoralising.
In a joint statement dated February 17, 2026, the Industrial and Commercial Workers’ Union (ICU-Ghana) and the General Agricultural Workers’ Union (GAWU) said they support the government’s broader efforts to revive the cocoa sector but want management to reverse the proposed pay cuts.
“The decision to reduce the salaries of senior and management staff… is totally unacceptable,” the unions stated, insisting that it was taken without following labour laws and existing collective agreements.
The unions were reacting to announcements made by the government on February 12, outlining a series of reforms aimed at restructuring the operations of the Ghana Cocoa Board (COCOBOD) and stabilising the wider cocoa industry.
They described the measures as “laudable and economically prudent,” particularly a new financing model that will allow COCOBOD to allocate up to 50 per cent of cocoa output to local processors, including the Produce Buying Company (PBC).
According to the unions, the policy will boost local processing, create jobs for the youth, and help reduce Ghana’s dependence on raw cocoa exports.
They also welcomed the government’s decision to transfer COCOBOD’s legacy debts to the Ministry of Finance and the Bank of Ghana, as well as plans to automatically adjust producer prices in line with global market trends and exchange rates.
“These interventions will give COCOBOD and PBC a new lease of life,” the statement said.
Despite their support for the reforms, the unions criticised management’s decision to reduce the salaries of some senior and management staff by between 10 and 20 per cent.
They argued that some of the affected workers are unionised and that the cuts were implemented without proper consultation, in breach of labour regulations and collective bargaining agreements.
In the statement signed by Morgan Ayawine of ICU-Ghana and Andrews Addoquaye Tagoe of GAWU, the unions demanded an immediate reversal of the decision and fresh engagement with workers’ representatives.
COCOBOD has faced growing financial pressure in recent years, with rising debts, operational challenges, and declining productivity raising concerns among farmers, workers, and policymakers.
Cocoa remains one of Ghana’s biggest foreign exchange earners, and industry stakeholders have warned that prolonged instability could affect the wider economy.
The unions said they had been raising concerns about COCOBOD’s financial situation since last year and believe the latest reforms reflect their long-standing proposals.
Beyond the salary issue, the unions also called for stronger institutional safeguards to protect COCOBOD from political interference.
“There is a need to create structures and systems that will insulate COCOBOD from external pressures and partisan politics,” the statement noted.
They expressed confidence that workers across COCOBOD’s divisions and subsidiaries would “redouble their efforts” to help the board achieve its mandate, once outstanding labour concerns are addressed.
The statement was issued on February 17, 2026, as the government continues to roll out reforms aimed at restoring confidence in Ghana’s cocoa sector and safeguarding its long-term sustainability.
