Galamsey by aliens is affecting cocoa sustainability and water bodies in some communities in the country according to the Okyenhene, Osagyefo Amoatia Ofori Panin II.
Osagyefo Amoatia Ofori Panin II bemoaned that the galamsey fighters are not performing their role diligently to help President Akufo Addo to succeed in his vision to ease illegal mining in the country.
Osagyefo Amoatia Ofori Panin II averred that there is a need for the country to find proper solutions to ease and put an end to illegal mining in the country.
He said that no one has the right to sell his or her cocoa farm to foreigners for mining to destroy the land in Akyem and its environs adding that galamsey has nothing good to offer Ghanaian cocoa farmers.
?There is no chief who has managed to buy excavators for illegal mining and it is not an offense for chiefs to send their task force to protect our lands and water bodies” said Osagyefo Amoatia Ofori Panin II.
Speaking at the annual cocoa celebration at Suhum in the Eastern Region, Osagyefo Amoatia Ofori Panin II explained that fighting illegal mining is for the protection and progress of the next generations in the country.
He said chiefs and farmers need to participate in decisions to help advance the development of cocoa farmers.
Osagyefo Amoatia Ofori Panin II commended the entire board members of the Ghana Cocoa Board for their tremendous performance in putting good measures in place and achieving the vision of President Akuffo Addo for the betterment of the country.
He lamented the low percentage Ghana received after exporting the cocoa to a foreign country.
Osagyefo Amoatia Ofori Panin II urged the board members to the establish edifice in Suhum of the Eastern Region as marks Suhum as the source of cocoa in the country
He pleaded to the board members of the Ghana Cocoa Board to extend the cocoa scholarship scheme to the farmers to enable their broods to advance in their education to take over the leadership mantle.
The Chief Executive Officer of the Ghana Cocoa Board (COCOBOD), Hon. Joseph Boahen Aidoo on his part indicated that the Cocoa Day celebration has been held annually since 2005 to recognize the effort of hard-working cocoa farmers.
Hon. Boahen Aidoo said that the Cocoa Day celebration is to create awareness of the health and nutritional benefits of cocoa and to encourage the citizenry to consume cocoa products in their daily lives.
He stated that the management of the COCOBOD is working hard to attract the youth into cocoa farming, invite private investments into local value addition and encourage domestic consumption of cocoa.
Hon. Boahen Aidoo affirmed that COCOBOD@75 aimed to protect the cocoa economy by securing sustainable farming practices alongside boosting domestic cocoa consumption.
Hon. Boahen Aidoo added that the board and management of COCOBOD have adopted stringent internal reforms to control expenditures, cut costs and reduce debt levels drastically.
The 2022 annual Cocoa Day celebration has been entitled “COCOBOD@75: Sustaining Our Environment, Wealth and Health.’’
He said that after the anniversary lecture and media launching at Accra, a series of activities have been held in Suhum from Wednesday, September 28, 2022, to the theme and find preventive ways to sustain and make the cocoa industry veritable.
Hon. Boahen Aidoo asserted that as the government is the focus to work to increase cocoa processing and consumption to reduce our dependence on the international buyers of the cocoa beans, there is a need to realign our interest in cocoa and coffee with those in the European market to prevent dire consequences for our cocoa and coffee production.
He disclosed that the COCOBOD is implementing normal productivity and acting programs and other initiatives to promote safe environmental practices.
Hon. Boahen Aidoo indicated that the campaigns against illegal mining, deforestation, and use of child labor have to fetch good quality results
He said that COCOBOD programs will be in line with three pillars of sustainability, economic viability, environmental protection, and socio-equity.
Hon. Boahen Aidoo added that the impact of cocoa is fought in every household from the socio-economic point of view and to how we express our values, love, traditions, and cultures.
Hon. Boahen Aidoo cautioned Ghanaians to work collectively to sustain the cocoa sector for future generations.
Hon. Boahen Aidoo highlighted the improvement by the COCOBOD by constructing ultra-modern manganese bole-hole for the people of the door of life in the community in the people of Aboabo dominated by thousands of cocoa farmers who have worked tirelessly and contributed significantly to the district cocoa production.
Hon. Boahen Aidoo lauded the Member of Parliament for the Suhum constituency who is also a member of the board of Directors for COCOBOD, Hon Kojo Asante playing a significant role in the projects.
He publicized that cocoa is a food and everyone must consume it as scientific researchers that cocoa is loaded with several elements and nutritional benefits.
Hon. Boahen Aidoo called Ghanaians to cultivate the habit of consuming cocoa daily as it contained health and nutritional benefits.
Source: Mybrytfmonline/Evans Boateng
