The Chairman of Agriculture Policy of the New Patriotic Party (NPP) Policy Committee, Isaac Yaw OpokuThe opposition New Patriotic Party (NPP) has called on President John Mahama not to assent to the Ghana Cocoa Board Bill, 2026, but to return it to Parliament for broader stakeholder consultation. “We urge His Excellency the President to withhold his assent to the Ghana Cocoa Board Bill, 2026, and return the same to Parliament for broader stakeholder consultation,” he said. NPP raises concern over cocoa tree restrictionsThe NPP also raised concerns about provisions restricting the destruction or uprooting of cocoa trees without prior authorisation. He questioned why cocoa farmers should require prior approval from the Ghana Cocoa Board before removing trees they consider no longer productive or suitable for cultivation. According to him, any legislation that significantly affects the rights and operations of cocoa farmers should be subjected to extensive consultation before becoming law.