Cocoa consumption and made-in-Ghana products has been launched in Accra with a call on Ghanaians to patronize such products to create more jobs for the youth.

The launch, which formed part of the Third International Cocoa Chocolate Festival, aimed at promoting the health benefits of natural cocoa and its consumption.

Mr. Ben Amponsah Fordjour, the Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of Centuries International, a Non-Governmental Organisation aimed at promoting locally manufactured goods, said his company would begin to give free coca drink to schools in the Greater Accra Region.

He said the project was to enhance the health of the children in the Region.

Mr. Fordjour said they were starting with Greater Accra Region because of Tetteh Quarshie, the one who brought cocoa to the shores of Ghana, came from the Region.

He said Centuries International, in collaboration with MASLOC, is importing 4,500 units of dispenser machines at the cost of 4,500 dollars to be distributed to vendors in all the 16 metropolitan, municipal, and district assemblies (MMDAs) in the Region to support the campaign.

Mr. Fordjour expressed the hope that the campaign would create 500 jobs in the Accra Metropolitan Area and an additional 3000 in the remaining districts in the Greater Accra Region.

He said the organization had already done similar projects with the Ghana Health Service and the Ghana Education Service and urged the MMDAs to collaborate with them to achieve the goal of the project.

Mr. Ismail Ashitey, the Greater Accra Regional Minister, commended the CEO for his efforts to promote the consumption of cocoa and made-in-Ghana products, which he said was in line with government’s policy to create jobs for the teaming youth.

He said the creation of 3,500 jobs would complement government’s efforts in curbing unemployment among the youth.

Mr. Ashitey said government had recognized the private sector as the engine of the economy, hence, the development of the National Youth Policy aimed at equipping the youth to drive the economy in future.

“Government’s one District, One Factory and the Planting for Food and Jobs programmes hinged on the private sector for its sustainability and growth,” he said.

Nii Adjei Sowah, the Accra Metropolitan Chief Executive, urged all MMDAs to take interest in the programme to promote healthy lives in the Region.

“Let’s eat our local foods to grow so that as we grow, our brains too will grow,” he said and called for support for local entrepreneurs by investing in their products.

The Regional Awareness Campaign in the 16 MMDAs in the Greater Accra Region would begin from October 13 to December 23, 2017.