Dr. Owusu Afriyie Akoto (middle)
The Food and Agriculture Minister, Dr. Owusu Afriyie Akoto, has inaugurated a nine-member Governing Board for the Cocoa Processing Company (CPC).
He charged members of the board to focus on adding value to cocoa domestically.
The board, which is chaired by Kwaku Owusu Baah, comprises four government nominees, representatives from the Social Security and National Insurance Trust (SSNIT), CPC, Cocobod, Ministry of Finance and Workers Union of CPC.
They include Nana Agyenim Boateng, Ben Abdullah Banda, who is a Member of Parliament (MP) for Offinso South, Philomena Okyere, Emmanuel Ray Ankrah, Joe Forson, Professor Douglas Boateng, Abdul Samed-Adams and a yet-to-be confirmed representative of Finance Ministry.
Dr. Akoto indicated that the CPC must help to achieve President Akufo-Addo’s vision of moving Ghana Beyond Aid.
He called on the new board to champion the agenda in Ghana, describing the board members as women and men of integrity.
According to him, the cocoa sector is key to the President’s agenda of moving Ghana Beyond Aid.
Board Chairman Owusu Baah assured the Minister that CPC, under his leadership, shall concentrate on adding value to cocoa domestically.
According to him, “Your call therefore to add value to Ghana’s cocoa is important; and appropriate at this time because it will help the country to earn more from our cocoa and Cocoa Processing Company can play a lead role to make this change happen.”
He stressed the need to promote domestic consumption of cocoa products in the country to promote value addition drive.
Mr. Owusu Baah stated that “But beyond adding value to our cocoa, Mr. Minister, there is also the issue of promoting domestic consumption of the commodity which needs to be encouraged in order to move Ghana in the cocoa value chain.”
According to him, “This would require drastic policy measures that may need government support to succeed. It’s therefore my fervent hope that when we begin to discuss policy options needed to bring about the transformation, we can count on your support all the way.”
By Melvin Tarlue