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Cocoa Abrabopa holds AGM, urges COCOBOD to strengthen its productivity programme
Cocoa Abrabopa Association (CAA), a farmer-based organisation has held its 12th Annual General Meeting (AGM) with a call on the government and COCOBOD to strengthen its Productivity Enhancement Programs and make available timely release and distribution of subsidized inputs to farmers.
They also appealed to the government to make cocoa farming attractive for the youth to engage in it.
Held in Danyame in Kumasi, the annual event brought together over four thousand cocoa farmers from the five cocoa-growing regions in Ghana namely Ashanti, Eastern, Brong Ahafo, Western South, and Central Regions.
Updating shareholders on the association’s performance for 2022, the Council Chairman of the Association, Ismail Pomasi argued the delay of money from COCOBOD since three months ago which is to enable them to pay the farmers.
For him, the 2023/2024 cocoa season commenced three months ago, however, the local Licensed Buying Companies (LBCs) were yet to receive Seed Funds from COCOBOD to enable them to buy the Ghanaian cocoa farmers’ beans; this they described as a worry to the Association.
“We want the frequent delay in the release of the Seed Fund from the Ghana Cocoa Board to LBCs to be re-looked at because the challenge is collapsing the operations of indigenous LBCs therefore reducing supplies of certified cocoa volumes demanded by CAA’s customers” he stated.
Mr Pomasi made a passionate appeal to COCOBOD and the government to strengthen its Productivity Enhancement Programs and initiate a more concerted effort to combat galamsey activities in cocoa-growing regions in Ghana.
In its quest to improve premium payments to beneficiary members, he said the Association had introduced a Digital Payment System (MoMo) in 2021 to serve members devoid of inconveniences and offered them the opportunity to make bulk payments to members within the shortest possible time in a more transparent manner.
“We have further introduced the Living Income Sustainability Initiative for the economic development of members, their households, and communities and that’s the surest blueprint to cocoa sustainability. It is for this reason that CAA has partnered with one of the finest customers Alfred Ritter GmbH, a chocolate manufacturer of the Ritter Sport brand of chocolate products to undertake varied degrees of interventions ranging from easy transport system for moving cocoa beans from farm to the Society, farming equipment and inputs, access to potable drinking water and on-farm additional livelihoods to improve the living conditions of members at RITTER SPORT designated areas”.
“It is gratifying to note that since the inception of the initiative in 2022, a total of 22 tricycles, 30 units of SOLO mist blowers, 4 Mechanized Boreholes with washroom facilities, Agrochemical Inputs Shop and a 2 Snail Farming start-up packages have been commissioned and handed over to beneficiary groups in Bogoso, Tarkwa Aboso, Bonsa and Amantin operational areas all in Western South Cocoa Region of Ghana” he stated.
Sustainability Manager, Wilfred Apiung, on his part, stated that, despite the challenges, the Association was committed to improving the livelihoods and incomes of cocoa farmers through gender equity and sustainable cocoa production across the six cocoa growing regions.
“We are committed to improving the income levels of farmers to bring them above the living income benchmark. We look at some cost components that can reduce their burden and support them,” he said.
The Operations Manager for CAA, Roland Obosu in his remarks urged the farmers to let the increase in premium payment to motivate them to produce quality cocoa that would meet the standards, help increase local sourcing and contribute to the local economy.
“The increase in premium payment for you, our farmers, is part of the Association’s commitment towards developing thriving and resilient communities within our 39 operational areas,” he said.
Acting Executive Secretary for CAA, Patrick John Van Brakel mentioned that these initiatives were to ensure all the farmers conform to the newly introduced Child Labour Monitoring and Remediation System and the new Rainforest Alliance Standard. This, he said, is to position the Association ahead of any International Standards.
The leaders of the farmer groups recounted that the sustainable farm training and support from Cocoa Abrabopa has been beneficial to their cocoa production.
They were grateful to CAA for introducing and teaching them alternative livelihoods.
BY BENEDICTA GYIMAAH FOLLEY
Ghana’s First Lady, Lordina Mahama, has made a generous donation to the country’s national female Under-17 and Under-20 teams – Black Maidens and Black Princesses- as they continue preparations for major international assignments.
The donation, made on Friday, May 22, was presented on behalf of the First Lady by the Minister for Gender, Children and Social Protection, Agnes Naa Momo Lartey, at the GFA Technical Centre in Prampram.
The gesture forms part of efforts to motivate and support Ghana’s young female footballers as they prepare to represent the country on the international stage.
The donation included essential food items and toiletries aimed at supporting the welfare and well-being of the players and technical teams.
The donation included cartons of Milo, T-rolls, soft drinks, toiletries, and a range of essential supplies aimed at supporting the welfare of the players, enhancing camp conditions, and easing preparations ahead of their respective assignments.
The Black Maidens are currently engaged in preparations for the FIFA U-17 Women’s World Cup qualifiers and are set to take on Liberia women’s national under-17 football team in the second-leg encounter in Liberia this weekend.
Meanwhile, the Black Princesses have already secured qualification to the FIFA U-20 Women’s World Cup after overcoming Uganda in the qualifiers, extending Ghana’s remarkable record to eight consecutive appearances at the tournament.
The donation by the First Lady was expected to boost morale within both camps while reinforcing national support for the young female footballers who continue to make the country proud.
The prosecution has officially rested its case in The Republic v Solomon Asamoah & Another, the high-profile legal battle commonly referred to as the “Sky Train” case.
The Deputy Attorney General Justice Srem Sai announced the development, praising the state’s team of hard-working prosecutors for successfully anchoring the state’s evidence before the High Court.
The criminal trial centers on the former Chief Executive Officer and the former Board Chairman of the Ghana Infrastructure Investment Fund (GIIF).
The duo stands accused of illegally authorizing and paying out US$2 million to a foreign company without obtaining board directives or other mandatory statutory approvals.
State investigators have confirmed that the disbursed millions cannot be found.
Following the closure of the prosecution’s case, the accused persons moved the court for an opportunity to file a submission of no case.
The presiding judge granted the application, ordering the defense to submit their arguments by June 8.
The outcome of the June 8 filings will decide the fate of the trial:
With this, if the judge finds the defense’s submission convincing, the accused will be acquitted and discharged however, If the judge dismisses the submission, the court will order the accused officials to take the stand and explain why they should not face prison sentences.
By Edem Mensah-Tsotorme
