Yaw Addo Frimpong
Minister for Food and Agriculture, Dr. Owusu Afriyie Akoto, has hinted of plans by government to provide pension scheme for over 664,529 farmers in six cocoa growing regions in the country.
The Deputy Minister of Food and Agriculture, Yaw Frimpong Addo, made this known on behalf of the minister during the 75th anniversary lecture and 2022 National Cocoa Day launch in Accra yesterday.
He said a credible data base, which has been compiled, is almost completed to realise the full implementation of the cocoa farmers’ pension scheme.
He said, “This is surely a full implementation for the cocoa farmers’ pension scheme. Let me assure you all, especially our farmers, that we will have a decent pension for our retired farmers in addition to improving the welfare of cocoa farmers.”
He added that the theme for the celebration epitomises all policy direction to protect the cocoa economy by securing sustainable farming practices to boost domestic production.
Joseph Boahen Aidoo, CEO of the Ghana Cocoa Board (COCOBOD), for his part, said despite the negative impact of COVID-19 on the global economy, especially on the cocoa industry, leading to a significant shortfall in revenue in the sector, government is still committed to improve the sector.
“Unfortunately, the ramifications of COVID-19 continue to cause more economic meltdown thereby plummeting demand for our cocoa, this adversely affected the global cocoa trade as projected revenue dropped leading to great financial shocks on Ghana’s cocoa regulator,” he stated.
He also indicated that though the sector had severely been hit by this challenges, the board and management of COCOBOD were resolved to reduce debt levels to the barest minimum, while commending the efforts of cocoa farmers.
Mr. Aidoo said the company had therefore put in place stringent measures to control expenditures and cut down cost, while efforts were underway to finance existing debt of the company.
He said, the anniversary will afford them opportunity to reflect on the major achievement and challenges of COCOBOD to enable them take more pragmatic steps to make Ghana’s cocoa industry an enviable one, as they continue to build synergies and consensus.
Prof. Ebenezer Oduro, former Vice Chancellor of the University of Ghana, delivering the anniversary lecture, also bemoaned the state of cocoa industry in Ghana considering the dozens of hectares of land that were being destroyed through irresponsible practices such as ‘galamsey’ in recent times.
He, therefore, suggested that measures such as reclamation, afforestation, premium on cocoa research, improved land tenure system and innovation would not only help improve cocoa production in Ghana but it would also go a long way to attract the youth in the cocoa industry and protect the water bodies as well.
The celebration for the anniversary, which will be climaxed at Suhum in the Eastern Region, is under the theme “COCOBOD at 75: Sustaining our environment, wealth and health.”
Present at the launch were Ministers of State, Chairman of COCOBOD, Peter Mac Manu, stakeholders in the agric value chain, chiefs and a host of industry players.
Ebenezer K. Amponsah