Koforidua, May, 28, GNA - Mr Samuel Ofosu-Ampofo, the Eastern Regional Minister, on Thursday said in spite of the discovery of oil, the government would continue to support the cocoa industry. He said the contribution of the cocoa industry to socio- economic development in Ghana over the years could not be overemphasized. Mr Ofosu-Ampofo said this when he visited some institutions in the region to acquaint himself with their operations.

He visited the Plant Generic Resources Research Institute (PGRRI) at Bunso, the Bunso Cocoa College, Cocoa Research Institute of Ghana (CRIG) at Tafo and St Paul's Technical Institute at Kukurantumi. Mr Ofosu-Ampofo said the government would continue with the cocoa spraying exercise and other technical support to ensure that at least by 2012 the current production would be increased to one million tonnes. He called for the reintroduction of training of extension service personnel to give technical support to cocoa farmers. The regional minister commended CRIG for the role it had played since its establishment.

He commended the institute for coming out with a lot of by-products of cocoa for both the local and international markets. The acting Director of the Institute, Dr Francis Kofi Oppong, said the major objective of the institute was to provide the farmer with a package of husbandry practices and technologies.

He said the institute would continue to play its functions to ensure that cocoa production increases to one million tones by 2012. At the St Paul's Technical Institute the regional minister commended the institute for providing technical manpower for industries in the country Mr Ofosu-Ampofo, a former tutor of the institute, presented a set of jerseys, footballs and basket balls to the institute.