1.6 billion cedis spent on cocoa spraying in Adansi South

Nyamebekyere (Ash), Jan 18, GNA - The government spent over 1.6 billion cedis on the cocoa spraying exercise in the Adansi South District between May and November last year. It is therefore not true that the same government, having spent so much to improve the cocoa industry, would turn round to frustrate cocoa farmers by refusing to pay for the cocoa beans purchased. Mr Francis Dorpenyoh, the District Chief Executive, said this when he addressed durbars at Nyamebekyere, Nkwanta and Adoosu, all cocoa growing communities, as part of his tour of the district. He spoke about some of the tricks cocoa buying companies use and appealed to cocoa farmers to demand cheques for their cocoa purchased. Mr Dorpenyoh advised cocoa farmers to ensure that they dried their cocoa beans properly to help the country to sell quality cocoa beans. He said the government was determined to encourage cocoa farmers to produce more to help the nation to reclaim its leadership position in the cocoa industry.

Mr Dorpenyoh advised the communities to do away with any wrong perception they had for the National Health Insurance Scheme (NHIS) and rather register with the scheme.

"A lot of people in the district have still not registered with the scheme and that is not the best."

Mr Alex Kumi, the unit committee chairman of Nyamebekyere, said the school in the area lacked essential facilities like desks and teachers' tables and chairs.

He also expressed concern about the poor work being done by the contractor working on the roads in the area. "Culverts being constructed have been abandoned and turned into hills on the already bad roads" Mr Kumi said and appealed to the government to check this contractor.