Stop Selling Cocoa Farms To Illegal Miners – COCOBOD

The National Deputy Executive Director in Charge of Operations/PEPs of the Cocoa Health Extension Division of Ghana Cocoa Board (COCOBOD), Dr. Kwame Owusu-Ansah, has urged Ghanaians to fight against illegal mining (galamsey) because cocoa is the backbone of the country.

After three days of visiting four districts including Nhyinahin, Bekwai, Konongo, and Juaso in the Ashanti Region, he told Opemsuo News Reporter, Adwoa Serwaa Yonkodo, that galamsey is destroying cocoa farms, water bodies, lands, wildlife, forests, and other valuable natural resources of the country.

Dr. Kwame Owusu-Ansah indicated that COCOBOD, in line with the Economic Plant Protection Act, 1978 (AFRCD 47), has rolled out a public education policy to enlighten farmers on the dangers of illegal mining and convince cocoa farmers not to sell their farms to illegal miners.

He said the three-day visit to cocoa farmers is in line with the government’s plans for cocoa farmers and that it has been useful and successful.

He informed cocoa farmers that the government has brought in more fertilizers and other farm inputs to boost their harvest.

Some of the cocoa farmers also expressed their appreciation to the officers for the support and also called on their fellow farmers to desist from selling their cocoa farms to illegal miners and to obey the instructions from the cocoa officers.

Story by Adwoa Serwaa Yonkodo