Zam R. Samin
1 July 2009
The Ghana Cocoa Board (COCOBOD) has announced plans to embark on a massive expansion programme to streamline its activities in the country, and is particularly concerned about improving its operations in the Western Region, which is producing the bulk of the country's cocoa.
Apart from jobs the expansion programme would create, the company also expects that 70% of its export would be carried through the Takoradi Port. Currently, the company exports 55% of its products through the Takoradi Port, with the remaining 45% going through the Tema Port.
Mr. Oduro Asare, Area Coordinator of the Cocoa Marketing Company (CMC), disclosed this recently at a meeting held by the management of COCOBOD with the Western Regional Minister, Mr. Paul Evans Aidoo.
The Minister and officials of the Regional Coordinating Council (RCC) had paid a visit to the company to familiarise themselves with its activities.
According to Mr. Asare, COCOBOD had acquired 100 acres of land at Kajebiri, a community near Takoradi, which would be developed to support the expansion programme.
Warehouses and other facilities such as clinics, staff bungalows and lorry parks would also be constructed as part of the project.
Mr. Paul Evans Aidoo, who led the delegation to the company, reminded them to be guided by their commitment to the ordinary cocoa farmer in the country.
"Ensure that the very person who is producing the cocoa is taken care of," Mr. Aidoo pointed out.
Though he acknowledged the good work of the company, he urged the management to do more for the cocoa producing communities, to protect the industry. He underscored the need for the sector to recognise the hard work of the farmer, who ensured the production of the quality cocoa beans the international community had recognised
"People are destroying their rubber plantations for gold. If we don't sustain the cocoa industry, the forest, and look after the farmer well, they will destroy the farms to look for gold. Let's ask ourselves, do we choose gold or forest; let's look at the farmer very well," Aidoo concluded.
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