Tensions ran high in Ghana’s Parliament on Tuesday as Minority Members of Parliament (MPs) from the New Patriotic Party (NPP) staged a dramatic protest during the 2026 State of the Nation Address (SONA), using cocoa pods and black attire to voice their discontent with the government’s economic management.
As President John Dramani Mahama delivered his address to the nation, the Minority caucus, led by Minority Leader Alexander Kwamina Afenyo-Markin, held up cocoa pods and wore black sashes emblazoned with the inscription “Yayɛ Mobɔ” (We are sad). The demonstration was a direct response to recent government policies, including a reduction in the cocoa producer price for the 2025/2026 season and rising utility tariffs.
The opposition lawmakers argued that the economic policies of the Mahama administration are placing an undue burden on Ghanaians. The cocoa pods were used symbolically to represent what the Minority described as the “betrayal” of millions of farmers facing income losses due to the price cuts. According to a statement from the Minority caucus, the government’s narrative of recovery ignores the “bread and butter” realities faced by citizens, including high inflation and the rising cost of living.
“The President speaks of progress, but the people are hurting. Farmers are bearing the brunt of this ‘Cocoa Haircut,’ and households are struggling with depleting incomes and high utility costs. We are here to give a voice to their pain,” Afenyo-Markin stated during the protest.
In response to the opposition’s demonstration, President Mahama addressed the concerns directly from the podium. He dismissed the Minority’s claims, asserting that the fundamentals of the Ghanaian economy are stabilizing and returning to a path of sustainable growth.
President Mahama defended his administration’s record, stating that the “Accra Reset” agenda—a series of economic reforms initiated in his second term—is beginning to yield tangible results. He maintained that the government inherited a state of “gross economic mismanagement” and that the corrective measures, while sometimes difficult, are necessary for long-term stability.
The clash between the Majority and Minority highlights the deepening political divide over the state of the economy, turning the 2026 SONA into a heated battleground for dueling narratives on Ghana’s progress.
