Goaso (B/A), Oct. 30, GNA - Mr. Robert Sarfo-Mensah, Member of Parliament for Asunafo North, has advised cocoa spraying gangs against the diversion of chemicals for other purposes. He said such negative attitude would defeat the government's aim to ensure increased cocoa production and warned that any gang member caught selling the chemical as well as the buyer would be made to face the full rigours of the law.

Mr. Sarfo-Mensah gave the warning during a tour of some cocoa growing communities in the constituency.

These are Phantom, Daudakrom, Abidjan, Kwadwo Addaekrom, Nyankomago, Dominase, Peterkrom, Fianko, Asanteman Council, Ampemkrom and Kassapin. The MP cautioned the gangs against charging farmers for spraying their farms and not to dilute the chemicals beyond the required specification. "The only part farmers play in the spraying exercise is to provide water", he said and explained that "any farmer who gives you (gang members) food does so out of his or her own will because the exercise is purely free". Mr Safo-Mensah appealed to the government to ensure that all cocoa farms in the area were sprayed with insecticide by the end of the year because of the outbreak of the capsid disease.