The Ghana Cocoa Board (COCOBOD) has taken delivery of a set of items from a stakeholder in the cocoa sector in support of the fight against COVID-19, particularly in cocoa-growing communities in the country.
Barry Callebaut, a cocoa processing company located at Tema in the Greater Accra Region, has presented three hundred (300) pieces of Veronica buckets, three hundred (300) gallons of 5-litre hand-washing soap and three hundred (300) rolls of extra-large hand tissues.
The Managing Director of the company, Ms. Charity Sackitey, acknowledged during the presentation, at Cocoa House in Accra, that Ghana would not have a thriving cocoa and chocolate industry without a consistent supply of cocoa beans from the cocoa communities. As such, the farmers who keep working each year to ensure a reliable supply of cocoa beans are the backbone of the nation’s cocoa industry.
Therefore, she added, during this critical period in Ghana’s fight against the COVID-19 pandemic, there is a need to support farming communities and stop spread of the virus.
“It is for this reason that Barry Callebaut decided to join hands with COCOBOD so we can together stand with our farmers in the communities during these very challenging times,” she said.
Ms. Sackitey noted that as the regular washing of hands with soap under running water is one of the key preventative measures against the disease, she is optimistic that the donated items will go a long way to support beneficiary communities in their individual and collective efforts to stay safe.
Receiving the items, Joseph Boahen Aidoo, the Chief Executive of COCOBOD, said government is doing everything possible to break the chain that allows transmission of the disease. He however believes success for government’s effort greatly depends on everyone taking the preventative measures, particularly the regular washing of hands a part of our daily life activities.
Mr. Aidoo expressed profound gratitude to Barry Callebaut and its sister company, Nyonkopa Cocoa – a licenced cocoa buying company, for their kind gesture.
