Cocoa-growing communities in Ghana are bedevilled by many developmental challenges that continue to threaten the survival of residents living in such areas.
Despite the contributions of cocoa farmers towards the growth of the country’s economy, persons living in cocoa-growing areas face poor road networks, bad basic school infrastructure and a poor health care system, among others.
It is evidently clear that successive governments have not been able to address these pressing challenges due to pressure on the national kitty, requiring the efforts of other players in the cocoa industry towards tackling them to bring relief to the people.
Way-To-Go project
In a significant move to tackle, head-on, some of the infrastructural challenges in some cocoa-growing areas in the Ashanti Region, the Kuapa Kokoo Cooperative Cocoa Farmers and
Marketing Union Ltd (KKFU), a cocoa farmers' union, has rolled out the Way-To-Go project to execute some projects in some cocoa-growing communities.
The projects are being funded by LIDL International, a German organisation, at a cost of €450,000, with support from Fair Trade Africa (FTA) and Fair Trade Germany (FTG).
The project will result in the construction of a fully-furnished Reproductive Child Health (RCH) unit at the Bomfa Health Centre in the Juaben Municipality.
Additionally, work has begun on the construction of a six-unit classroom block with a headmaster’s office and an information and communications technology (ICT) library at the Asenkyem Basic School in the Asante Akim North Municipality.
Also, a fully-furnished maternity unit will be constructed at Ofoase and a six-unit classroom block with a headmaster’s office, information and communications technology (ICT) library, teachers' common room and a 12-seater toilet in Nyakoma, both in the Asante Akim South Municipality.
All the projects are expected to be completed in six months to enable the residents in the beneficiary communities to use them to achieve the intended purposes.
Improve farmers welfare
Speaking at separate events to cut the sod for the projects to begin, the President of the union, James Agyekum Kwarteng, said the institution exists to improve the welfare of cocoa farmers.
He indicated that, having benefited from the cocoa farmers through the purchase of their cocoa beans to sustain their operations, they thought it wise to give back to them by constructing these critical projects to better their lives.
“As an organisation, we were concerned about the state of the school infrastructure and the absence of critical health infrastructure in the selected communities and decided to come to their aid to bring relief to them,” he said.
He added that the provision of the projects would bring relief to teachers and pupils and improve teaching and learning, as well as motivate health workers in the discharge of their duties.
He used the occasion to appeal to the government to support indigenous cocoa purchasing companies with funds to purchase cocoa from farmers so as to sustain their operations, stressing, “We need funding support to be able to compete with expatriate firms”.
Complement
The Municipal Chief Executive (MCE) for the Juaben Municipality, Eunice Ohenewaa Ansu, commended Kuapa Kokoo for the intervention, saying it would go a long way to complement government efforts towards the development of the area.
She used the occasion to urge the people to come together and stay united to be able to attract the needed developmental projects, stressing, “It is only through unity that you can get projects to your respective communities”.
She mentioned that the municipality was huge and required the support of corporate bodies and institutions towards improving the living conditions of the thousands of people in the area.
Other speakers
The Juaben Municipal Disease Control Officer, Isaac Boakye Afrifa, admitted that staff at the Bomfa Health Centre struggle daily to provide child welfare services to children brought to the health facility.
He said the completion of the new RCH unit would go a long way to help health workers in the provision of quality services to clients, saying, “This project is dear to us, and we will ensure its maintenance to last longer”.
For her part, the Municipal Chief Executive for Asante Akim North, Sarah Amoakowaa, indicated that the projects had come at the opportune time to address some of the basic developmental needs of the people.
The Queenmother of Hwidiem, Nana Abena Afranoa III, said cocoa farming was a major economic activity in the area and, therefore, lauded Kuapa Kokoo for giving back to the communities.
The Adontehene of Bomfa, Nana Yaw Danso, recalled that it was not the first time that Kuapa Kokoo had supported them. In the past, they constructed a place of convenience for them.
While commending the organisation for its continuous support to the community, he indicated that the facility, when completed, would provide a conducive environment for mothers and children to receive the best of care.
Writer’s email: gilbert.agbey@graphic.com.gh
