Breman Sewotom (C/R), Sept. 22, GNA – The Central Regional Chief Cocoa Farmer, Nana Kwesi Ofori, has advised farmers to stop using children as farm labourers on their farms.

He said the children should rather be given the necessary education that would enable them perform better when the mantle of the country is handed over to them.

Nana Ofori said these at a-day’s sensitization rally for cocoa farming communities in and around Breman Sewotom.

The event was organised by the Central Regional Cocoa Swollen Shoot Virus Unit of Cocoboard in collaboration with the office of the Central Regional Chief Cocoa Farmer and it was aimed at increasing cocoa production and creating awareness of child labour and its effects on the farmer.

Nana Ofori said he was concerned about the report that in some cocoa growing areas, most of the children work as labourers on farms to the disadvantage of their education and appealed to the farmers not to allow children below 18 to work on their farms.

Mr Alfred Cyril Nortey, Central Regional Manager of the Cocoa Swollen Shoot Virus Diseases (CSSVD) Unit, said the only remedy for diseased cocoa trees is to cut them down to prevent them from spreading to other farms.

He urged farmers whose farms have been attacked by the disease to cooperate with the extension staff of the unit to allow their diseased farms to be cut down for replanting.

He said every two and half acre diseased cocoa farm that would be cut down would attract an amount of GH¢1,290 for replanting.

Mr Nortey said free hybrid cocoa seedlings would be supplied by Cocoboard for replanting, adding that an additional GH¢250 with fertilizers will be given to the farmer to maintain the farm.

Nana Kweku Edu-Twaim, Chief of Breman Baako, who chaired the programme urged farmers to use the knowledge and skills they have obtained to improve upon their yield.