Esikado Omanhene commends gov’t

Nana Kobina Nketsia V, Omanhene of Esikado Traditional Area has commended government for supporting the cocoa industry with fertilizer distribution, mass spraying, and free seedlings among others.

Government is providing over 50 million high yielding cocoa seedlings as well as large quantities of liquefied and solid fertilizers to be distributed freely to cocoa farmers this farming season.

Nana Nketsia however appealed to government and its functionaries to guide against providing the services in a partisan manner.

Nana Nketsia said this during the official inauguration of the Progressive Licenced Cocoa Buyers Association (PLCBA) and the introduction of an innovative electronic payment system, Cocoa Sika Payment Platform, in Accra.

The Esikado Omanhene also used the occasion to call on government to periodically adjust the price of cocoa in accordance with currency fluctuations so that the farmer will not lose.

He noted that the cocoa industry serves as a major contributor to the economy of Ghana, therefore the periodic cocoa price adjustment will discourage farmers and middlemen from smuggling cocoa beans to sell outside the country.

Nana Nketsia urged government to extend the road rehabilitation projects to cocoa growing areas, as farmers are losing output due to unmotorable roads.

Government says it has released $150 million for the rehabilitation of roads in cocoa producing areas to enable cocoa farmers to get their cocoa to the purchasing centers.

Nana Johnson Mensah, the Western Regional Chief Farmer also touted government’s interventions in the agricultural sector of the economy, but called for increased number of extension personel, and those currently measuring the farms for the distribution of fertilizers, to speed up the process.

He also commended the Ghana Cocoa Board (COCOBOD) for increasing the number of beneficiaries of scholarships given to children of cocoa farmers in the various public Senior High Schools (SHS) from 3,500 to 5,000 students annually.

The increment is to enable more children of cocoa farmers to have access to secondary education, but Nana Mensah, however noted that, even though the increment is welcoming news, “we still appeal to COCOBOD to further increase the number to ensure more farmers’ children benefit from the scheme”.

Mr Tei Quartey, COCOBOD Director of Research, speaking on behalf of the Chief Executive Officer of the Board, commended the 14 Indigenous Licenced Cocoa Buying Companies for coming together to form the Progressive Licenced Cocoa Buyers Association.

He urged the association to collaborate with COCOBOD to come out with the best framework and policies to ensure smooth implementation of the electronic platform.

Justice Julia Amonoo-Neizer of the Judicial Service, assured the association of the judiciary’s readiness to ensure justice, as far as the cocoa industry was concerned, and in collaboration with stakeholders, establish special courts for prosecution of cocoa related cases.

She said the judicial service is ready to assist the industry to establish the required legal framework for their operations.

She reminded the farmers and the buying companies that, child labour and smuggling was a crime against the country and that anyone found guilty will be punished by the law.

DCOP David Ampah Benin of the Ghana Police Service said, the police has mordern equipment to fight crimes related to electronic transactions and are ready to support the cocoa industry.

Mr. Samuel Anane, PLCBA President said the association was established as a company limited by guarantee, under the Ghana Company’s code 1963 (Act) 179 on May 20, 2014.

He said it was formed by 14 Indigenous Licenced Cocoa Buying Companies to advance each other’s welfare and also to raise adequate funding to purchase cocoa in their individual capacities.

The Members of the Association believe that by coming together to form the Association, member companies can pull resources together to attract large amount of funding on better conditions than they individually get and can also buy cocoa in larger volumes, he said.

The Unity of the Association could also help members attract high level professionals to manage successfully the businesses of member companies, through the Secretariat of the Association and also help to reduce cost of operations.