COCOBOD Foundation, in partnership with Walter Matter and Federated Commodities (FEDCO), has constructed an astroturf facility for the Domeabra M/A School at Asankrangwa in the Wassa Amenfi West Municipality of the Western Region.
The facility is to strengthen the physical and mental development of children, according to Charles Amenyaglo, Director of Special Duties – COCOBOD. “It is an obligation for every school infrastructure to have a recreational facility attached to it as well. This astroturf was constructed as part of our new journey going forward,” he said.
He said the astroturf, which is the first of its kind in the area, will also attract more children to enrol and remain in school, unearth hidden talents as well as serve as a training ground for football teams in the area.
Mr. Amenyaglo, who was at a ceremony to hand over the astroturf facility to the Domeabra M/A School at Asankrangwa, said it will also serve as an income generating venture for the school.
He pointed out that schools in cocoa growing areas deserved better in terms of infrastructure and other recreational facilities.
He explained that COCOBOD’s collaboration with Federated Commodities (FEDCO) and it partners started in 2012, when a policy was introduced that every Licensed Buying Company (LBC) involved in a cocoa sustainability programme with sponsoring partners are obligated to enter into an agreement and pay some small amount in addition to the amount paid for the cocoa beans purchased toward warehouse cost on special cocoa storage.
“Other benefits to the farmers under this policy is that the communities from which the cocoa beans are sourced are provided with some social responsibility project in the form of educational support, health and sanitation as well as portable water,” he added.
Mr. Amenyaglo noted that illegal mining was causing a lot of havoc on some cocoa farms in the region. “We see ‘galamsey’ activities all over our cocoa farms, our rehabilitated farms as well as physical structures; and this undermines the efforts of our hard-working farmers and robs them and the country of the desired benefits,” he said.
“We should all be vigilant to prevent them from digging under the school block or the astroturf in the name of searching for gold,” he advised.
