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The Chief of Staff, Mrs. Akosua Frema Osei-Opare, said that the development of Ghana’s cocoa sector remains the key to the socio-economic progress of the country.
According to her, the sector contributes significantly to improving the livelihoods of cocoa growing communities.
“The benefits of the cocoa sector remain enormous, as it provides a reliable source of income for farmers and provides formal and informal employment for young people, the elderly, educated and uneducated people in the industry,” he said. she declared.
The chief of staff was speaking at a groundbreaking ceremony for the construction of a six-unit school project by Cargill Ghana, a licensed cocoa processing and purchasing company, and CARE International Ghana in Adjei Kojo in the municipality of Tema West.
The project, which is part of Cargill’s plan to build six schools in five cocoa growing districts and one in Tema West, is a corporate social responsibility initiative.
It also delivers on its promise to strategically improve the incomes and living standards of farmers and their communities while growing cocoa in a sustainable manner.
The school project includes three primary schools, two kindergarten blocks and a middle school in the northwest region and Adjei Kojo in the municipality of Tema west.
Ms. Osei-Opare said the President remains committed to supporting efforts to encourage growth and investment in the cocoa sector.
She said that access to educational infrastructure by the wards of cocoa farmers tends to offer positive prospects for the sector and improves the sustainability of the local economy.
He said the government will continue to ensure the country maintains its global position as a producer of quality cocoa, with Cargill and other partners playing a key role in building a sustainable cocoa sector in Ghana.
She said that the support to communities and the protection of agricultural land and its achievements were directly aligned with the achievement of several action plans and bills highlighted in the 2030 Agenda for the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).
The chief of staff said securing a sustainable cocoa sector would lead to the provision of some life-changing facilities, such as schools.
“The construction of six schools in different cocoa growing areas across the country is a positive step towards eliminating the worst forms of child labor in cocoa growing communities.
“It will also motivate children of school age to have access to quality education with state-of-the-art facilities,” she explained.
She noted that the government considers the education of all children at all levels a national priority and commended Cargill for its partnership with the government to achieve this national goal.
She expressed optimism that, thanks to the project, children in cocoa and Adjei Kojo communities in Tema West would benefit from a quality basic education that would significantly contribute to the cause of community resilience development. and the long-term sustainability of the cocoa sector.
Deputy Education Minister John Ntim Fordjour described access to education as a key government priority as it has invested heavily in education, directly aligned with the Sustainable Development Goal 4, ensure inclusive and equitable quality education and promote lifelong learning opportunities for all.
He praised Cargill for its investment in education and said that “the most important social intervention is to target education as this would pay dividends in the future to improve outcomes”.
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