By Alex Ababio | Ghanaian Watch | November 9, 2026
Former National Chairman of the National Democratic Congress (NDC), Dr Samuel Ofosu-Ampofo, has withdrawn from the party’s upcoming national chairmanship contest, ending speculation about his possible return to the position despite reported support from party members across all 16 regions.
His decision comes at a critical time for the governing party as it prepares to elect new national executives following the decision by incumbent National Chairman Johnson Asiedu Nketia not to seek re-election.
Ofosu-Ampofo’s withdrawal also shifts attention to his responsibilities as Political Advisor to Vice President Professor Naana Jane Opoku-Agyemang and Chairman of the Board of the Ghana Cocoa Board (COCOBOD).
In a statement issued on his behalf by former Adentan Member of Parliament and Presidential Staffer Kojo Adu-Asare on Monday, November 9, the former NDC chairman said his decision followed careful consideration and was taken in the overriding interest of the party.
“After careful consideration, Hon. Dr. Ofosu-Ampofo has decided not to proceed with his participation in the NDC National Chairmanship race, a decision he has taken in the overriding interest of the party and his commitment to serving the party and the nation in other capacities,” the statement said.
The announcement came after supporters from all 16 regions reportedly obtained nomination forms and paid the required filing fees on his behalf.
Their efforts had strengthened expectations that the former chairman would challenge for the position again.
He expressed gratitude to the supporters, describing their gesture as a remarkable demonstration of confidence, love and commitment from the party’s grassroots.
However, he said the responsibilities entrusted to him by President John Dramani Mahama required his continued attention.
Two government responsibilities behind the withdrawal
Ofosu-Ampofo currently serves as Political Advisor to Vice President Professor Naana Jane Opoku-Agyemang and Chairman of the COCOBOD Board.
According to the statement, his responsibilities include providing advisory support to the Office of the Vice President and leadership oversight for the ongoing restructuring of Ghana’s cocoa industry.
“These responsibilities are significant to the successful implementation of the government’s resetting agenda and the delivery of the promises made to the people of Ghana under the NDC mandate,” the statement explained.
His COCOBOD position is particularly significant because Ghana’s cocoa industry is facing serious financial and production challenges.
The scale of the difficulties makes the board’s oversight role an important matter of public interest.
In February 2026, the government announced a comprehensive package of reforms following an emergency Cabinet meeting on February 11.
According to the Ministry of Finance and COCOBOD, the measures included clearing GH¢3.62 billion in outstanding payments owed to cocoa farmers, restructuring approximately GH¢3.7 billion in legacy debt and transferring GH¢4.35 billion in cocoa road liabilities to the central government’s balance sheet.
The government also announced a reduction in the producer price from GH¢58,000 to GH¢41,392 per tonne for the remainder of the 2025/26 season.
The reforms followed a sharp fall in international cocoa prices, which created serious liquidity problems for COCOBOD and made Ghanaian cocoa less competitive in the international market.
The International Monetary Fund’s 2026 assessment of Ghana’s economy also identified the cocoa price correction, unsold stocks, delayed purchases and liquidity pressures as major problems confronting COCOBOD.
The IMF explained that the decline in global cocoa prices had left Ghana’s farmgate pricing framework misaligned with prevailing market conditions.
This contributed to buyers becoming reluctant to purchase contracted volumes, while cocoa stocks accumulated and the Board experienced severe cashflow pressures.
These developments demonstrate the importance of the restructuring assignment cited by Ofosu-Ampofo.
Cocoa farmers still expect measurable results
The financial difficulties have had direct consequences for cocoa farmers, some of whom experienced delays in receiving payment for their produce.
The Ghana News Agency reported on February 12, 2026, that the government ordered COCOBOD to begin immediate payment of outstanding arrears.
Finance Minister Dr Cassiel Ato Forson said the directive followed complaints from farmers who had not received payments since November 2025.
The Ghana Cocoa Board subsequently announced on July 2, 2026, that it had released another GH¢2.6 billion to Licensed Buying Companies for onward payment to farmers.
COCOBOD said it had paid GH¢34.52 billion to Licensed Buying Companies since the beginning of the 2025/26 season.
However, the financial recovery challenge extends beyond settling outstanding payments.
On September 25, 2026, the Ministry of Finance announced a GH¢16.3 billion Domestic Cocoa Notes Programme through Cocoa Capital PLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of COCOBOD.
The programme is designed to raise GH¢14 billion through commercial paper to finance cocoa purchases during the 2026/27 season, with another GH¢2.3 billion intended to refinance existing COCOBOD debt.
The financing arrangement is intended to strengthen domestic cocoa purchasing and reduce dependence on previous financing arrangements.
There are also concerns about declining production.
A Reuters report published on July 30, 2026, said COCOBOD expected Ghana’s cocoa production to fall by at least 16 per cent in the 2026/27 season.
The projected decline was linked to possible El Niño conditions, excessive rainfall, swollen shoot disease, ageing cocoa farms and illegal mining.
The Western and Western North regions, which account for more than half of Ghana’s cocoa production, were among the areas facing significant production challenges.
These figures underline the pressure on COCOBOD’s leadership to deliver reforms that go beyond financial restructuring.
On September 25, 2026, COCOBOD announced a producer price of GH¢42,400 per tonne for the 2026/27 season, representing 71.18 per cent of the realised gross Free on Board (FOB) value.
The newly enacted Ghana Cocoa Board Act, 2026 (Act 1182), also introduces reforms intended to strengthen the institution’s governance, guarantee farmers a minimum 70 per cent of the realised gross FOB price and restrict COCOBOD from engaging in quasi-fiscal activities.
For Ofosu-Ampofo, the challenge will be ensuring that these reforms translate into improved financial management, timely payments, increased productivity and better livelihoods for cocoa farmers.
His decision to prioritise the COCOBOD assignment therefore places his performance in an institution facing significant public scrutiny.
NDC leadership succession enters a new phase
Ofosu-Ampofo’s withdrawal also changes the political calculations surrounding the NDC’s national chairmanship contest.
He served as National Chairman from 2018 to 2022 before losing his re-election bid to Johnson Asiedu Nketia at the party’s national delegates congress.
Asiedu Nketia subsequently became the party’s chairman and announced in October 2026 that he would not seek another term.
Graphic Online reported on October 22 that five aspirants were expected to contest the position. They included Ofosu-Ampofo, former Odododiodio MP Edwin Nii Lantey Vanderpuye, former Local Government Minister Akwasi Oppong-Fosu, National Vice Chairman Chief Sofo Azorka and former Klottey Korle MP Nii Armah Ashitey.
Following Ofosu-Ampofo’s withdrawal, the remaining four aspirants are Vanderpuye, Oppong-Fosu, Azorka and Ashitey.
The development leaves the party with a contest involving individuals with different backgrounds in parliamentary politics, government administration and party organisation.
The outcome will be important for the NDC’s organisational direction, particularly as the party manages its responsibilities as Ghana’s governing political organisation.
The party’s published 2026 election timetable sets November 7 to November 9 as the period for filing national executive nominations.
The timetable further schedules vetting for November 12 and 13, appeals for November 15 and 16, and the national congress for December 19, 2026.
These dates establish the formal process through which the party will select its next national leadership.
A call for unity amid political competition
Despite withdrawing from the contest, Ofosu-Ampofo has reaffirmed his loyalty to the NDC.
He said his 34 years of experience in party politics and governance remained available to support the party whenever his services were required.
He also congratulated newly elected constituency officers and urged party members and aspirants to approach the internal electoral process with unity and mutual respect.
“The strength of the NDC lies in its collective experience, unity, institutional memory and shared commitment to its ideals,” the statement noted.
His message comes as the party prepares for a leadership transition that could influence its organisational priorities and political strategy.
For the NDC, maintaining unity during the elections will be important, particularly as competing candidates seek support from different sections of the party.
For Ofosu-Ampofo, however, the withdrawal means his immediate public responsibilities will be measured less by his position in the party’s internal leadership structure and more by the results of the assignments he has chosen to retain.
His role at COCOBOD will be especially important to cocoa farmers, licensed buying companies, exporters and other businesses across the cocoa value chain.
The central question is whether the restructuring programme can restore the financial health of the institution while protecting farmers’ incomes and improving Ghana’s position in the international cocoa market.
For now, Ofosu-Ampofo has stepped aside from the NDC chairmanship race. But his work at COCOBOD places him at the centre of one of Ghana’s most important economic recovery challenges.