Cocoa Farmers Call For Support

Young cocoa farmers in five communities of the Assin North District of the Central Region have appealed to the business community and government to boost infrastructure in the area.

According to the youth, though the contributions of farmers from the area to Ghana's cocoa production have been significant, their communities had been neglected over the years.

They said that there are no hospitals, portable drinking water and schools in the communities and that several appeals to government over the years for the provision of the facilities have fallen on deaf ears.

The deprived communities are Pra Agave, Subrisu, Kyiekrom, Aniakregya and Asanou Agave- all located in the Assin North District, which happens to be a vibrant cocoa-growing area in the Central Region.

Two young farmers from the district between 2011 and 2013 were adjudged the most promising cocoa farmers at the national level.

President of Assinman Young Cocoa Farmers Association, which has a membership of 14,000 young cocoa farmers in the area, Theophilous Tamakloe, who made the appeal on behalf poor communities at Assin Senchiem on Tuesday, said residents, including pregnant women and nursing mothers, have been compelled over the years to cover long distances to other localities in the region to access healthcare.

Mr. Tamakloe was addressing a delegation from the Milton Hershey School, a subsidiary of the Hershey Cocoa Company of the USA, officials of the Ghana Cocoa Board, the media and some cocoa farmers in the Assin North District.

The delegation from the Milton Hershey School, led by Tim Wasielewski, Senior Director of the Milton Hershey School, paid a working visit to the communities to prepare the grounds for about 15 of their students to visit the communities in July, 2016.

The fifteen students are scheduled to embark on some voluntary community development projects such as tree planting, among others.

Mr. Tamakloe said that the Primary School at Pra Agave, which happens to be the only one in the area, collapsed 10 years ago while that of Subrisu collapsed four years back.

He said the schools at Aniakregya, Asanou Agave and Kyiekrom collapsed few years ago and the kids were made to study under trees.

Mr. Tamakloe said that the situation had demoralized most teachers in the area who later abandoned the classrooms.

According to him, the development had affected most pupils, who want to access basic education, which is a fundamental human right.

He said Ghana Cocoa Board in 2014 promised to construct schools for the communities through the 'Child Labour Support' initiative but up to date the board has shown no sign of starting the school project.

Cocoa Board and Government have over the years been duly informed about the developmental challenges facing the communities.

Dr. Francis Baah, Executive Director of Cocoa Health and Extension Division of the Cocoa Board, reiterated that concerns raised by the residents would be considered and addressed appropriately.

He disclosed that Ghana Cocoa Board intends to complete the construction of the main road linking the various towns by the close of the year.

By Melvin Tarlue