COCOBOD has initiated a programme to establish a number of taskforce which would monitor and control the use of children as labourers in cocoa growing communities, across the country.

This is being done through the Cocoa Health and Extension Division (CHED), a subsidiary and forms part of a range of initiatives, to address the issue of child labour in the cocoa value chain.

Madam Christiana Amponsah, the new NewEdubiase District Cocoa Officer on Wednesday inaugurating one of such taskforce at Kwameadu in the Adansi South District, said it the task force formation, would be replicated in all cocoa areas in the country.

“COCOBOD was very much concerned about the increasing reported cases of child labour in cocoa growing communities, a situation affecting the education, health, growth and development of children in those areas”, she stated.

Madam Amponsah stressed the need for parents and community members to take good care of their children and encourage them to take their education seriously.

Mr Ebenezer Agyin, Deputy Ashanti Regional Manager of CHED said various interventions such as the mass cocoa spraying exercise, pruning and hand pollination project, aimed at increasing crop yield and improve cocoa productivity.

He said COCOBOD was in the process of providing free economic tree seedlings to farmers to intercrop with the cocoa on their farms for shade and this was part of efforts to address climate change in cocoa production.