5-year Cocoa Roads Project to cost COCOBOD $750m

In the next 5 years, major cocoa roads would be constructed to solve the challenges associated with carting cocoa beans from the farm gates to buying centres and also to improve the livelihoods of cocoa farmers.

This was contained in a press release by the Ghana Cocoa Board (COCOBOD). The statement stated thus: "Ghana Cocoa Board (COCOBOD) in collaboration with government of Ghana, has rolled out the Cocoa Roads Rehabilitation Programme to facilitate the transportation of cocoa beans to buying centres."

This latest move is in fulfillment of a promise by President John Mahama to cocoa farmers during the 2014 Farmers’ Day celebration at Sefwi Wiawso; that his government was going to make roads linking cocoa growing communities a priority.

"The Cocoa Roads Project also aims at improving road networks in cocoa communities with the view to ensuring access to remote cocoa areas as well as creating congenial environment to promote the livelihoods of cocoa farmers," the statement added.

Implementation is expected to cost $150 million dollars yearly over the next five years. The project is to be executed in phases having started with the presidential groundbreaking ceremony back in June this year at Adeiso and Kyebi in the Eastern Region.

In all, a total of 628.70 kilometers of roads have been earmarked for construction under Phase 1 of the project. The Cocoa Roads Rehabilitation Project is wholly funded by COCOBOD.