COCOBOD sets up task force to check weighing scales

Tepa (Ash), Dec 7, GNA - The Ghana Cocoa Board (COCOBOD) has set up a special task force to go round cocoa growing areas to check weighing scales and any purchasing clerk found to have adjusted a scale will be arrested and put before court.

Mr Isaac Osei, the Chief Executive of COCOBOD, said this at a meeting with cocoa farmers and purchasing clerks at Tepa on Tuesday as part of a three-day visit to the Ashanti Region. He said the Board has made available enough money for cocoa purchases and payment of bonus this year for all the 19 Licensed Buying Companies (LBCs) and advised farmers to insist on what is due them from purchasing clerks.

He said payment of bonuses to farmers was not automatic and that it depended on favourable world market and quality of cocoa beans exported.

Mr Osei therefore advised the farmers to ensure that they use only chemicals supplied by the Cocoa Swollen Shoot Virus Division (CSSVD) and not any chemical sold at the open market as such chemicals affect the quality of cocoa beans.

Nana Owusu Fordjour, the District Chief Farmer, appealed to COCOBOD to insist on the use of Akuafo Cheque by all the LBCs to check the frequent cases of robbery reported by purchasing clerks in their offices.

He complained of delay in payment of bonuses and cocoa sold to the buying companies and appealed to the COCOBOD to act promptly to save the situation. Nana Adusei Atwenewah Ampem I, Omanhene of Tepa traditional area, praised COCOBOD for giving financial assistance to farmers' children in secondary schools and said it should be sustained. He appealed for improvement of feeder roads in the cocoa producing areas in the country and extension of rural housing project to the district to help improve the standard of living of the farmers.