Joseph Boahen Aidoo
THE GHANA Cocoa Board has announced that the country will soon establish a Chocolate Academy to train and polish the skills of chocolate makers in the artisanal space to increase cocoa value addition and consumption locally.
Deputy Chief Executive of the Ghana Cocoa Board, Emmanuel Ray Ankrah, revealed this in a speech read on behalf of the CEO, Joseph Boahen Aidoo, at the launch of the 2023 National Chocolate Week on Tuesday in Accra.
He said cocoa consumption could further be increased in Ghana if the skills sets of artisanal manufacturers were improved apart from other enhancement programmes aimed at increasing the annual cocoa production output.
He said “Another challenge identified in the artisanal chocolate industry is the skill sets of the industry players. I am however happy to report that we have engaged a Belgium chocolate company that will soon set up a chocolate academy to start training and polishing the skills of our chocolate makers.”
He said aside that, COCOBOD was also in discussion with other relevant state institutions to scrap or reduce the taxes paid by artisanal chocolate manufacturers, to reduce their cost of operation in order to make them more competitive.
The CEO also urged Ghanaians to patronise cocoa products and collectively work towards making Ghana a cocoa consuming country due to its health benefits of improving the blood flow to the brain to boost brain function, improving cardiovascular health and serving as a stimulant which could give children energy, among others.
Board chairman of COCOBOD, Peter Mac Manu, in his remarks, said his outfit had introduced various policies and liased with various stakeholders particularly, small scale producers all aimed at creating a conducive environment for the processing of cocoa.
He said efforts were also been made by COCOBOD to ensure the country became the leading processor and consumer of premium cocoa beyond been the leading producer of premium cocoa across the globe.
Minister of Information, Kojo Oppong Nkrumah, who launched the National Cocoa Week celebration, commended all the stakeholders in the cocoa value chain giving its contribution to the economic growth of the country.
He, therefore, urged all stakeholders to use the National Cocoa Week to step up the efforts at increasing and boosting local production.
He said the contribution of cocoa to Ghana’s GDP is expected to reach about US$4.1 billion by 2025.
Deputy Minister of Tourism, Arts and Culture, Mark Okraku Mantey, for his part, said the collaboration among the institutions over the years, has helped to establish a high degree of association due to the national chocolate week instituted and hopes the national chocolate week would be nurtured to attract both national and International attention and participation.
This year marks the 18th edition of the of the chocolate week which was instituted by the Ministry of Tourism in 2005.
The event organised by the Ghana Tourism Authority (GTA), in partnership with the Ghana Cocoa Board (COCOBOD) and Cocoa Processing Company (CPC), was on the theme: “Eat Chocolate, Stay Healthy, Grow Ghana.”
BY Ebenezer K. Amponsah