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Cocoa growing district to set up task
force against smugglers
Jasikan (V/R), Nov 29, Ghanadot/GNA - A taskforce is to be
instituted among stakeholders in the main cocoa growing
districts in the Volta region to clampdown on activities of
cocoa smugglers and their collaborators across the country's
eastern frontier with Togo.
The target areas are Jasikan, Hohoe and Kadjebi districts.
Mr Solomon Kwame Donkor, Jasikan District Chief Executive (DCE)
who announced this said smuggling of cocoa along the eastern
frontier was increasing and urged people living in the area
to help combat the crime.
Mr Donkor said this at the seventh annual cocoa farmers' and
workers awards celebration at Jasikan. It was under the
theme, "Produce Buying Company (PBC) and the Cocoa Farmer: A
Better Future".
He mentioned the debilitating effect of embezzlement of
resources meant for the purchase of cocoa by clerks of PBC
whose action were often times blamed on government for
non-performance and urged stakeholders to stamp out all
negative tendencies, warning that the task force would not
spare anybody.
The DCE said government was supporting the cocoa industry
with interventions like the mass spraying exercise;
rehabilitation of farms, consistent guaranteed pricing,
scholarship schemes all targeted at boosting production.
Mr Donkor however said while cocoa production shot up to
over 700,000 tons from below 400,000 tons in 2000, the
region's fortune continue to dwindle.
Mr Anthony Osei Boakye, Managing Director of PBC said the
Board and Management had concluded plans to sponsor the
drilling of a number of boreholes fitted with hand pumps
from the 2008/2009 main cocoa crop season in distressed
areas as part of its social responsibility pact to the
communities.
He said PBC would diversify into the internal and external
sheanut trade and operates basically in the three northern
regions of Upper West, Northern and Upper East while
revamping its haulage units aimed at repositioning the
Company on a sound economic footing.
Mr Boakye said these efforts are geared towards the rebirth
of the Company for new relationship, partnership and a
guaranteed future.
He commended faithful and loyal cocoa farmers for their hard
work and support for the economy.
Mr Prosper Zagbla, Volta Regional Principal Marketing
Officer of PBC, announced that production figures continue
to dwindle, falling from over 37,000 bags in 2000 to below
12,000 bags in 2006 adding that some cocoa farms which
benefited from the government's interventions failed to
produce a single bean.
He said smuggling of the commodity was a booming business
across Ghana's eastern frontier with Togo with buying agents
from that country patronizing even wet beans due to the
price differentials.
Nana Adjei Kramo I, Regional Cocoa, Coffee and Sheanut Chief
Farmer, who presided, appealed to his compatriots to
redouble their efforts at stemming the cocoa smuggling
menace.
He also called on government to review its position on
haulage of seedlings to farms and cost per seedling.
Meanwhile, Mr H. Y. Gyambibi of Asato-Gyamonome and Mr
Nathaniel Atsu of Nayi Kope were adjudged the Volta Regional
and District Best Cocoa farmers with nine cocoa societies
and other individuals including Mr Philemon Ankah winning
the Best District PBC Senior Officer prize.
They received prizes ranging from 21 inch Colour Television,
cookware, cloth, and Wellington boots, standing fan,
cutlasses and plaques.
GNA
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