Minister lauds initiative to develop skills in cocoa industry

Some beneficiary students at project launch

Ashanti Regional Minister, Dr. Kwaku Agyemang-Mensah has emphasized the need for Ghana to continue developing skills in the cocoa industry for sustainable growth.

According to him, the sector continues to play a predominant role in the country's economy, inspite of the oil discovery.

The Minister has therefore lauded partner organizations in the Agricultural Logistics Skills Development Program, initiated by the World Cocoa Foundation and the Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology, with funding from Archer Daniels Midland (ADM) Company and Safmarine Shipping Line.

Logistics, transportation and warehousing are essential links in the cocoa supply chain. The project seeks to provide a vital window towards ensuring efficient logistics and warehousing management in Ghana's cocoa production, whilst producing the requisite skill-sets for job creation.

Dr. Agyemang-Mensah observed many of the Ghanaian youth are unemployed because they lack skills that will enhance their chances of employment.

He noted the program offers beneficiaries “a very useful career which will certainly enhance their living circumstances…. The success of this program will encourage ADM to expand it to cover more people and further motivate other well-meaning companies in other sectors of the economy to emulate this example”.

Guest Speaker at the project launch, Prof. William Ellis Otoo, Vice-Chancellor of the KNUST is hopeful “the program will be sustained and the training programme expanded to include other problem areas of the cocoa production sector so that we can reap maximum benefit from the sector”.

The KNUST School of Business is responsible for the project's curriculum development, program hosting and training delivery.

Prof. Ellis Otoo believes the program is an important initiative and “a model which can be replicated in other sectors of agriculture and we hope that other industry players will partner with the university to impact on the lives of our citizenry”.

Meanwhile, Safmarine's Adam Imoru Ayarna tells Luv Biz Report the shipping line will bring its expertise in commodities and global commerce to bear in the seven-month training module which targets post-secondary students.

He says the company has broadened its responsibilities and formed partnerships with its customers, NGOs and other stakeholders to offer sustainable development through education.

Safmarine is the leading containerized cocoa carrier out of Ghana and presently operates in 110 countries, specializing in sea transportation.

Story by Kofi Adu Domfeh/Luv Fm/Ghana