GOVERNMENT’S SUBSTITUTION of Valentine’s Day for Chocolate Day celebration in Ghana on February 14 has been given thumbs-up by many stakeholders in the tourism industry.
Management of Finest Pub & Restaurant at Assin Fosu in the Central Region is the latest to add its voice to the flurry of commendations.
Emmanuel Kwame Adjei-Sah, Public Affairs Manager of Finest Pub & Restaurant, who spoke at ‘Finest Chocolate Day’, an event organised by his outfit Monday at Assin Fosu, said the introduction of Chocolate Day has helped to reduce teenage pregnancy in Assin Fosu by dispelling the erroneous ‘sexual’ connotation the day carries among the youth, which makes them crave for sex, to taking chocolate to stay healthy and focused in life.
Eulogising former President John Agyekum Kufuor and late statesman, Jake Obetsebi-Lamptey, for their roles in instituting and maintaining Chocolate Day, he said it has come to stay as a day for promoting Ghana-made cocoa products and also an avenue to generate revenue at the local market.
“The whole week was meant for the Chocolate Day celebration, better advertisement on the production of our cocoa, as well as to sanitise the Assin Fosu locality members. The education and sensitisation programme elaborated and discussed the importance of cocoa product consumption in Ghana. We gave everybody chocolate. Mission of Finest Pub and Restaurant is meant to teach the youth good moral values, and give them the best of enjoyment, among others.”
Some revellers at the event, indicated, “At first, Val’s Day was introduced as a day for sex, but the Chocolate Day introduction has shaped and educated us to the better side of it. We were educated at Finest Pub and Restaurant to purchase chocolate for our loved ones, and that, the day is not meant for sex alone.”
Another person also indicated, “Former President Kufuor did well for the introduction of the Chocolate Day celebration, and Finest Pub and Restaurant reinstating the purpose of the celebration to us. It has helped to reduce teenage pregnancy in our locality. Condoms also used to get finished those days but with the education, such awkward actions have been reduced.”
In addition, they called on the government to empower local industries to produce more chocolates while making prices moderate for the ordinary Ghanaian.
The residents expressed excitement at the fact that the initiative has been maintained by the Akufo-Addo administration.
Chocolate Day In Ghana
In 2005, the Ghana Tourism Authority instituted The Chocolate Day which has been known as National Chocolate Day to coincide with Valentine’s Day.
The celebration earmarked on February 14 annually is targeted at boosting the domestic consumption of Ghana-made chocolate and other cocoa-based products and to promote domestic tourism while it gives a healthy orientation to the celebration of Valentine’s Day.
The initiative is as well meant to shift the attention of the youth from engaging in sexual activities towards showcasing love to their loved ones through a gift of chocolate.
It was instituted by the Ghana Tourism Authority in collaboration with the Cocoa Processing Company of Ghana as part of the memorial Ghana@50 celebrations by the then Minister of Tourism, Jake Obetsebi Lamptey.