The Ghana COCOBOD has, as part of the 2022 National Chocolate Day celebrations, distributed chocolate bars to Dabaa cluster of schools in the Atwima Nwabiagya South Municipality of the Ashanti region.
In addition, farmer cooperatives in the area received chocolate bars and other cocoa products.
In all, 700 people in the area received 1,000 chocolate bars.
The move was to symbolically honour the former President John Agyekum Kuffuor, who is from the community, for his vision in declaring February 14 every year, as National Chocolate Day in Ghana.
The annual celebration is targeted at boosting the domestic consumption of Ghanaian chocolate and other cocoa based products, to promote domestic tourism and give a healthy orientation to the celebration of Valentine’s Day.
Nana Adwoa Dokua, Board Member of COCOBOD, said the Day had brought about the increase of awareness in the consumption of chocolate and other cocoa products since 2005.
The financial implication, source of revenue had all increased and resulted in extra revenue for most of the companies that processed cocoa beans to chocolate.
This year’s celebration was themed, “Eat chocolate, stay healthy, grow Ghana”.
Nana Dokua emphasized that cocoa was the backbone of the country’s economy and also had numerous health benefits for those who consumed it.
She said it was important to inculcate the habit of taking chocolate on a regular basis in children to ensure healthy and smarter lives.
She observed that most children in the rural areas had not tasted chocolate before, and said the COCOBOD was using the Day as a way to educate them on the product’s consumption.
Mr Kwaku Sereboe Prempeh, Ashanti Regional Manager of COCOBOD was hopeful that the company would increase the number of beneficiaries of products in subsequent celebrations.
He mentioned that cocoa products were known to boost intelligence in children, cure diabetes and pressure among other ailments.
Ashantibiz
