Cocoa Research station educates farmers on child labour

Tafo (E/R), March 3, GNA - Cocoa Research Institute of Ghana (CRIG) has embarked on radio discussion programmes to educate farmers in cocoa growing areas on worst forms of child labour on the farm. The programme is aimed at identifying and preventing the issue of worst forms of child labour on cocoa farms through education and explanation in languages understood by them. Dr Yaw Adu-Ampomah, Executive Director of CRIG, disclosed this at the 2007 annual best workers award at Tafo on Monday. He said the programme was to clear the worry of the cocoa industry on alleged reports of child labour on cocoa forms as reported by the international community.

Dr Ampomah said CRIG in the past years had developed three clones and had since released them to the seed production unit to be distributed to farmers towards multiplying of their cocoa yield. Mr Isaac Osei, Chief Executive Officer of the Ghana Cocoa Board, in a speech read for him, said government intended to rehabilitate the dam in the area, which is the main source of water supply and to provide a 1,000 KVA generator to augment electricity supply to CRIG. Mr Kwadwo Affram-Asiedu, Eastern Regional Minister, said the importance of the cocoa industry to the economy of Ghana could not be overemphasized.

He therefore commended CRIG for initiating education into the worst forms of child labour on cocoa farms to ensure that Ghana's cocoa had no blemish on the international market. In all 15 workers from various divisions of CRIG received prizes. They included Mr Abraham Nkansah, a senior technician of the entomology division, who won the overall best award. 03 March 08