The overlord of the Akyem Abuakwa Traditional Area in the Eastern Region,Osaagyefo Amoatia Ofori Panin II has angrily spoken against illegal mining, which is gradually getting out of hand in the country.
According to the tough spoken overlord, it saddens him that Ghanaians and particularly the government have allowed an alien to destroy cocoa sustainability and water bodies in some communities in the country.
To him, the government has failed in its effort to fight illegal mining in the country, a development he blamed on those leading the fight. He contended that no one has the right to sell his or her cocoa farm to foreigners for illegal mining to destroy the Akyem Abuakwa lands, 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 taskforce to protect our lands and water bodies,’’ said Osaagyefo Amoatia Ofori Panin II.
Speaking at the annual cocoa celebration day at Suhum, Osaagyefo Amoatia Ofori Panin II explained that fighting illegal mining is for the protection and progress of the next generations in the country.
On the welfare of cocoa farmers, the Akyem Abuakwa overlord encouraged the government to allow chiefs and farmers to actively participate in decisions that are most important to the advancement of cocoa farmers.
He commended the entire board members of the Ghana Cocoa Board for their tremendous performance for putting good measures in place and achieving the vision of President Akuffo Addo for the betterment of the country.
Notwithstanding the praises, he was quick to express grave concern over the low percentage Ghana received after exporting the cocoa to foreign countries.
He pleaded with 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 (CEO) of the Ghana Cocoa Board (COCOBOD), Mr Joseph Boahen Aidoo on his part indicated that the Cocoa Day celebration has been held annually since 2005 to recognise the efforts of hard working cocoa farmers.
Mr Boahen Aidoo said that Cocoa Day celebration is to create awareness for health and nutritional benefits of cocoa and to encourage the citizenry to consume cocoa products in their daily lives.
He stated that management of the COCOBOD are working hard to attract the youth into cocoa farming, invite private investments into local value addition and encourage domestic consumption of cocoa.
Mr Boahen Aidoo affirmed that COCOBOD@75 aimed to protect the cocoa economy by securing sustainable farming practices alongside boosting domestic cocoa consumption, adding 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.’’
The COCOBOD CEO asserted that as the government is focused to work to increase cocoa processing and consumptions in order to reduce our dependence on the international buyers of the cocoa beans, there was the need “to realign our interest in cocoa and coffee with those in the European market to prevent dire consequences for our cocoa and coffee produce.”
He disclosed that the COCOBOD is implementing normal productivity and acting programs and other initiatives to promote safe environmental practices.
Boahen Aidoo indicated that the campaigns against illegal mining, deforestation and use of child labor have fetched good quality result.
He said that COCOBOD programs would be in line with three pillars of sustainability, economic viability, environmental protection and social equity.
He added that the impact of cocoa is felt in every household from the socio economic point of view and to the ways in which we express our values, love, traditions and cultures.
Mr Aidoo cautioned Ghanaians to work collectively to sustain the cocoa sector to the future generations.
