CRIG rewards Director for leading coffee industry's revival

By Edmund Quaynor, GNA
New Tafo (E/R), May 02, GNA - The Cocoa Research Institute of Ghana (CRIG) has rewarded one of its Directors, Dr. F. K. Oppong, for leading the revival of the coffee industry.

He has supervised the successful rehabilitation of 1,045 hectares of coffee plantation and assisting to establish an additional plantations covering 1,130 hectares.

For this, Dr. Oppong, has been honoured with the Executive Director's Special Award at ceremony held by the Institute at New Tafo to recognize hard work, dedication and commitment.

He was presented with a cheque for GHȼ5,000.00, a flat screen television and citation.

The Board Chairman of the Cocobod, Mr. Daniel Ohene Agyekum, and the Eastern Regional Minister, Ms. Mavis Ama Frempong, were among those present.

The occasion was also used to present prizes to the overall best worker, Mr. Joseph Nao Boafo of the Laboratory Department, and more than 20 other workers.

Some retiring management staff were not left out and received parting packages for their outstanding performance and contribution to CRIG's international standing.

Mr. Agyekum assured the workers that everything would be done to create the right environment for them to perform optimally - motivate them to give it their all.

He encouraged them to adopt healthy lifestyles - regularly exercise their bodies to stay healthy.

Dr. Stephen K. Opuni, Chief Executive of Cocobod, in a speech read for him, asked the management of CRIG to focus their research on the development of planting materials that could withstand climate change and its challenges.

It should develop technologies in support of the various initiatives in the cocoa sector to boost production levels.

Ms. Frempong urged farmers to allow their aged cocoa farms to be cut down to make way for the replanting of early-maturing, high-yielding and disease resistant seedlings.

She also appealed to chiefs to release land to the youth eager to go into cocoa farming.

Earlier in a welcoming address, the Executive Director, Dr. G. J. Anim-Kwapong, said CRIG would continue to honour hard work.

GNA