Cocoa locked up because of bad roads

Goaso (B/A) Nov. 6 (Stevenson) GNA- About 13 vehicles fully loaded with sealed cocoa ready for the ports and food items are locked up at Sankore in the Asunafo District of Brong Ahafo due to the bad roads in the area.

Mr George Yaw Boakye, District Chief Executive (DCE) for Asunafo disclosed this when Mr Stephen Asamoah-Boateng, a Deputy Minister of Information, called on him as part of a weeklong tour of Brong Ahafo. The DCE said International Development Agency (IDA) had concluded its part of the agreement in the rehabilitation of the Norbeko-Sankore road and was waiting for the valuation report for commencement of work. He, therefore, appealed to the agency responsible for the release of the report to expedite action.

Mr Boakye noted that the 32-kilometre road was re-gravelled but rains had rendered it impassable.

He said the Brosankro-Kassapin-Asumura road was also bad and appealed to the Department of Feeder Roads and the Ghana Highways Authority (GHA) to rehabilitate the road.

The DCE said HIPC funds had been used to construct new classroom blocks and a number of boreholes in the district. Mr Asamoah-Boateng warned that the Government would deal severely with any cocoa purchasing clerk who would flout the re-introduction of the Akuafo Cheque.

Mr Asamoah-Boateng said the government's increase in the cocoa price was in fulfilment of the Government's 2000 election campaign promise to encourage cocoa farmers to boost the industry. Mr Asamoah-Boateng paid a courtesy call on Nana Yaa Achiaa, Queen mother of Goaso at her palace.

The Queen mother said lack of telecommunication facilities was hampering the progress of the town.