Hon. Samuel A. Jinapor, the Minister for Lands and Natural Resources has said government is pursuing policy initiatives that will ensure sustainable growth in the cocoa sector.
Delivering the opening address at a high-level Conference on Sustainable Cocoa Dialogue, the Minister stated that government is implementing programs and strategies that will facilitate the growth of the sector.
He averred that government is aware of the challenges crippling the growth of the industry and are bent on removing these bottlenecks to ensure that the full benefit of cocoa is enjoyed by the state.
“The issue of how illegal miners are taking over cocoa farms and the impact it has on the cocoa sector. The mechanisms required to ensure that the industry is sustainable and managed to ensure that we enjoy the full benefit of the industry are being implemented. I’m fully aware of the Ministry of Agriculture and Ghana Cocoa board working around the clock and introducing policies to ensure that the cocoa industry is sustainable,” he noted.
He further gave a historical context to the key role of cocoa in the country and posited that Ghana as a country has enjoyed enormous benefits from the sector.
Hon. Samuel Abu Jinapor commended the organizers of the forum which is upbeat will lead to quintessential resolutions and proposals on growing the sector.
“The contribution of the cocoa industry to the country is far reaching. It is important that this conference is being held because arising out of the contribution this industry makes to the socio-economic development of this country are challenges,” he said.
Present at the Conference is the European Union Ambassador to Ghana, H.E Diana Acconcia, Mrs. Jutta Urpilainen, the Minister for Employment and Labour Relations, Hon. Ignatius Baffour-Awuah, the Minister for Agricultura, Dr. Owusu Afriyie Akoto, European Commissioner for International Partnerships, the CEO of Cocoa Board, Joseph Boahen Aidoo and some dignitaries from the Cocoa sector initiative and Cocoa Farmers Organisation.
