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Consumption of cocoa products boosts immune system-Chief Pharmacist
Cocoa drinks and products can help boost the immune system, Chief Pharmacist at the Cocoa Clinic in Accra, Dr. Edward Amporful, has said .
He explained that taking cocoa drink could help reduce blood clots on the brains especially of COVID patients and promote longevity, adding “cocoa products are natural blood thinners and would help reduce weight and diabetes.”
Dr Amporful, who is chairman of the Cocoa Consumption Committee, made these revelations when he delivered a talk on ‘ why consume cocoa products’ at the opening of Cocoa Processing Company (CPC) Sales Depot at COCOBOD warehouse at Kejabil, in the Ahanta West District of the Western Region, on Thursday.
He indicated that cocoa, a good natural resource base for Ghana, had been a blessing over the years and, therefore, efforts must be made to utilise its potentials for health and longevity needs of the people.
Ghana, he noted, had in the past, pursued value addition programmes to cocoa products, but, it was not doing enough to boost consumption of the products.
Dr Amporful indicated that the European FoodSafety Authority had averaged at least 2.7 kilogrammes cocoa consumption per person dailybut regretted that, Ghana in its entirety was doing just about 50 grammes.
“Fifty grammes is not the way to go. At least 2.7 kilogrammes per person daily, according to European Food Safety Authority. That’s key. Cocoa consumption has a huge consequences for Africa to take advantage of the African Continental Free Trade Area(ACFTA) and increase daily consumption.” he added.
Cocoa products, the Chief Pharmacist mentioned, had vitamins, fats and minerals better than what coffee could provide for a person, noting that but in Ghana, people consumed coffee more than cocoa, a good natural product.”
“It’s a complete food for the morning when you wake up at least take a bar of chocolate and be ready for the day, that’s your breakfast. The beauty of cocoa is that you can add or blend with everything even with your Hausa Koko.” Dr Amporful stressed.
He told the gathering that research had shown that cocoa products could help reduce high bold pressure, stroke in the elderly, increase brain power as well as reduce blood clots and even malaria.
Ghana, he said, was one of the 11 countries reporting high malaria cases but had not focused on cocoa consumption as one important health solution to reduce the burden of the disease on the citizens.
“Even with erectile dysfunction from head to toe, cocoa has more satisfaction and it’s by far ahead of time. We need to do about 5kg daily per person, and we are doing just 50 grammes.” Dr Amporful stated
From Clement Adzei Boye, Kejabil
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Minister for Education leads monitoring visit to BECE Centres
As part of efforts to encourage candidates writing the 2025 Basic Education Certificate Examination (BECE), the Minister for Education, Haruna Iddrissu has led a government delegation to the 5 Garrison Education Centre and Emmause Cluster of Schools earlier today in Accra.
The visit aimed at monitoring the conduct of the examination, interacting with candidates, and offering words of motivation.
The minister urged the students to remain focused, confident, and determined, encouraging them to do their best to make themselves and the nation proud.
Accompanying the Education minister were the Minister for Defence, Edward Omane Boamah; Deputy Minister for Local Government, Chieftaincy and Religious Affairs and Member of Parliament for La Dadekotopon, Rita Naa Odoley Sowah and the Director-General of the Ghana Education Service (GES), Prof. Ernest Davis.
The rest included the Chief Director of the Ministry of Education, Mrs. Maamle Andrews; and the Municipal Chief Executive for La Dadekotopon, Alfredos Nii Anyetei.
Other dignitaries present also reiterated government’s commitment to educational excellence and the holistic development of every Ghanaian child.
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Interior Minister calls for correctional reform as Prisons Service graduates New Officers
Speaking at the Passing-Out Parade of Recruit Course 125 at Ankaful Prison Officers’ Training School in the Central Region, the Minister for the Interior, Muntaka Mohammed-Mubarak has emphasized the need for correctional reform in Ghana, highlighting the government’s commitment to transforming the Prisons Service into a modern correctional facility that focuses on rehabilitation, reformation and reintegration.
He noted that Government remains committed to expanding vocational training, educational programmes and productive inmate enterprises that reinforce rehabilitation, reformation and reintegration.
The minister pointed out that correctional facilities must become centers of reform, not just detention.
According to him, “is not an act of charity but a strategic investment in national security and human capital. When we empower an inmate with employable skills, we reduce the opportunity for that inmate to re-offend. Rehabilitation and reformation do not occur in isolation but must be linked to purposeful activity.”
To give practical effect to this policy, Muntaka Mohamed-Mubarak announced that Government will scale up support for prison-based ventures, saying that entures such as carpentry, tailoring, agriculture, and industrial operations, including bottled water production, will be central to a sustainable, self-reliant correctional economy.
The Minister also directed all institutions under the Ministry for the Interior to prioritise the purchase of bottled water and toilet rolls produced by the Ghana Prisons Service.
This, he said, will not only reduce the financial burden on the state but also generate revenue and promote inmates’ productivity.
He reassured the leadership and personnel of the Ghana Prisons Service of the Government’s unwavering support, emphasizing that the commitment goes beyond improving logistics and infrastructure to reforming the very foundation of correctional practice in Ghana.
Muntaka Mubarak urged the new officers to serve with integrity, compassion, and professionalism, and assured them that their actions would reflect the high standards of the Service and the trust the nation has placed in them.
