President Nana Akufo-Addo
PRESIDENT Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo is expected to attend the climax of the 2019 Cocoa Day celebration which is being held today in Sunyani in the Bono Region.
The week-long celebration is being held under the theme: “Sustainable Cocoa Production for Wealth and Health”, and it is being used to promote the importance of cocoa production to the economy.
The climax will bring together various stakeholders in the cocoa production value chain including farmers, buyers, marketers, agro input dealers and manufacturers to build a stronger network for production.
The celebration started last Saturday with a health walk on some principal streets of Sunyani, with some participants holding placards some of which read ‘Cocoa lowers blood pressure,’ ‘Cocoa is good for your heart,’ ‘Consume cocoa every day for healthy life’, among others.
Bono Regional Minister Ama Kumi Richardson launched the celebration at the Sunyani Jubilee Park. She said the President would grace the occasion to throw more light on the government’s effort to boost cocoa production in the country.
Addressing COCOBOD workers at the launch, chairman of the planning committee, Rev. Dr. Emmanuel Ahia Klottey, said that members of Cocoa Producers Alliance— comprising Ghana, Cote D’Ivoire, Nigeria, Cameroon and others — have realised the importance of cocoa production to their economies besides the accompanying health benefits, and are working hard to project a common voice in world cocoa affairs.
He said Sunyani was selected to host this year’s celebration because the former Brong Ahafo Region had produced 11 best national cocoa farmers, including a female and two young cocoa farmers.
He also said the government was encouraging the youth to go into cocoa farming because “there is wealth in it.”
Municipal Chief Executive of Sunyani, Justine Owusu Awo Banahene, said the contribution of cocoa to the Ghanaian economy is immeasurable, adding “it provides raw materials to various organisations, generate income for farmers and all those who are involved in cocoa value chain. It also gives the country foreign exchange.”
She said that due to the health benefits of cocoa, the government was embarking on a pilot project which ensures that every child up to Class 3 will have to take one cup of cocoa drink three times in a week.
“This will help improve cognitive ability of children since cocoa has been found to contain elements that enhance brain power,” she said.
danielyaodayee@yahoo.com
FROM Daniel Y Dayee, Sunyani