It follows what could be described as the increased preference for locally manufactured chocolates by some Ghanaians on the occasion of National Chocolate Day.

Checks by Citi Business News indicate that Ghanaians are gradually showing much interest in consuming locally produced chocolates than foreign ones.

Today, February 14, 2018, marks eleven years since the introduction of the National Chocolate Day.

An initiative of former Tourism Minister, the Late Jake Otanka Obetsebi Lamptey, the day is largely to create awareness and increase consumption of locally made chocolate products.

Some consumers spoke to Citi Business News on their preferences.

“I prefer the locally made chocolates for Valentine’s Day because it is rich in cocoa but the foreign ones are a bit creamier you do not really get the richness of the cocoa,” one stated.

Another remarked, “I prefer the local ones to the foreign ones because they are nicer, richer and I also appreciate our own things.”

“The feeling of the local chocolate is so amazing and I am just going in for the locally manufactured ones,” a third consumer stressed.

Indeed the Minister of Tourism Arts and Culture, Catherine Afeku at a recent media briefing outlined plans to repeat the distribution of locally produced chocolates at the airport to mark the day.

“As an entity, we decided to give each and every person boarding, entering, embarking or arriving in Ghana for the first time, the world acclaimed brown chocolate of Ghana. The initiative was massively received and we intend to repeat it on the 14^th of February under the theme, “Eat Ghana, Eat Chocolate,”

The Cocoa Processing Company is one of the major producers of chocolates in Ghana.

Its Managing Director, Nana Agyenim Boateng tells Citi Business News his outfit has been able to produce at least ten thousand cartons of the various sizes of chocolates for today’s occasion.

This he says excludes production recorded for Tuesday and Wednesday (February 13^th and 14^th respectively).

“Another 1200 cartons that we have released for the gift boxes to be distributed; we have also released 2,200 cartons of the 50 grams aside that we have also done customised chocolates for corporate institutions, airlines, hotels and other institutions and that also we have done over 500 cartons of that of the 50 grams,” he explained.

Not all, the CPC is also advancing plans to reduce the price of chocolate substantially in the short to medium term.

This Nana Agyenim Boateng explains will largely depend on the creation of a separate entity for the manufacturing of confectionaries.

This year’s National Chocolate Day is on the theme, “Eat Ghana, Eat Chocolate”.

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By: Pius Amihere Eduku/citibusinessnews.com/Ghana

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Nana Addo stated at this year’s World Cocoa Day celebration in Kumasi, that such a programme will boost local consumption of cocoa products.

[contextly_sidebar id=”7IWPc0abmagi0pZaD7eILOw09tEc7XeS”]“It is for this reason that the Ministry of Agriculture through COCOBOD, the Ministry of Gender, Children and Social Protection through the school feeding programme, and the Ministry of Education through the Ghana Education Service, are to ensure the sustained provision of cocoa beverages and chocolates to school children from primary school to secondary level…[our] target is to provide every Ghanaian student with a bar of chocolate or cocoa beverage each day whilst in school” the President said.

The comments by the President have been met with mostly negative responses from Ghanaians with many on social media questioning the need for such a programme and raising doubts about its sustainability.

However, Yaw Osafo Maafo, brushed these concerns aside, reiterating the President’s belief that the policy will help increase cocoa consumption locally.

“You must create a market within the population for your produce. You must make the cocoa drink available in all schools, available in the [Senior High schools] and available in the universities. Let Ghanaians develop taste for cocoa drink,” he said in an interview with Citi News.

According to Osafo Maafo, despite the large quantities of cocoa beans produced in Ivory Coast and Ghana each year, neither country gets more than 6% of the total proceeds from exports.

“The value chain is worth about $100 billion. Ghana and Cote D’Ivoire – just us – produce 60% of the [cocoa] bean, so we contribute 60% of the value chain, but we get less than 6 billion of the $100 billion, it’s pathetic. It means most of the money goes to those who process, not those who produce the bean, so if we don’t process we’ll not get our fair share of the value chain”

He stated that the country had the technical expertise to process the cocoa beans that are produced, but admitted that there was a need to expand the factories.

“To process the bean, you must have a market for the processed goods. If you process and you are drinking the cocoa; when there’s a tea break, you drink tea and coffee, it’s wrong. The processing mechanism involves plants and machinery and know-how. We have some processing factories in Ghana so we need to expand them. The know-how is there” he said.

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By: Edwin Kwakofi/citifmonline.com/Ghana

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According to him, this will boost local consumption of cocoa products.

Speaking at this year’s World Cocoa Day celebration in Kumasi which coincided with the 70^th anniversary celebration of the establishment of the Ghana Cocoa Board, President Akufo-Addo said the government had already received support from some international chocolate companies to kick start the exercise.

“It is for this reason that the Ministry of Agriculture through COCOBOD, the Ministry of Gender, Children and Social Protection through the school feeding programme, and the Ministry of Education through the Ghana Education Service, are to ensure the sustained provision of cocoa beverages and chocolates to school children from primary school to secondary level,” he said.

The President further explained that “…[our] target is to provide every Ghanaian student with a bar of chocolate or cocoa beverage each day whilst in school.”

This he said “has been given the needed impetus by some manufacturing companies who have agreed to support the programme.”

The Ghana Cocoa Board had earlier appealed to Ghanaians to patronize locally produced cocoa products instead of foreign ones.

Speaking at a media launch of the 2017 Cocoa Day in Kumasi last week, Senior Public Affairs Director at COCOBOD, Noah Kwasi Amenyah, said his outfit was hoping that cocoa drinks will be served at official functions as a way of encouraging patronage of cocoa made products.

“We expect the school feeding programme to adopt it and ensure the children also take cocoa. We expect the young and the elderly to also consume cocoa because of its enormous health benefits.”

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By: Michael Ogbodu/citifmonline.com/Ghana

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The day, which is marked yearly, was instituted to coincide with and reshape the celebration of Valentine’s Day to promote the consumption of chocolate and other cocoa products since cocoa is the mainstay of Ghana’s economy.

This year’s celebration was on the theme: “Love Chocolate, Love Adventure”.

Nana Oduro Kwarteng, the Chief Director of the Ministry, said the day was to increase the consumption of chocolate because it is not just for the taste of it but has a lot of compounds in terms of medicinal purposes”.

He said cocoa was an important product and the ministry wanted to ensure that it was used to promote domestic tourism.

“In order to reap the necessary benefit of cocoa, it is advisable for all to add the consumption of the cocoa products to our daily meal,” he said.

Dr Frank Asante, the Managing Director of CPC, said the National Chocolate Day was instituted to promote Ghanaian chocolate as the preferred choice of gift for loved ones.

He said the company chose to spend the day with the school in order for the students to know the essence of the day as well as know the importance of the consumption of chocolate on regular basis.

He said the black chocolate was always better and chocolate eaten before meal was better, adding; “it should not be chewed but licked”.

The CPC later donated cocoa products including bags of chocolate drinks, buckets of tiger-nut, chocolate spread and chocolate worth GHȼ2,000.00.

It also presented a vending machine to the school.

Madam Ellen Ohene-Bekoe, the Director of the Home, expressed appreciation to the Ministry as well as CPC for the kind gesture and the love shown to the children on the special day.

She called on other corporate organisations to support the school and spend time with the children.

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Source: GNA

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As the number two producer of cocoa in the world, Mr Poku said Ghana needed to find innovative ways of increasing the quantities processed to earn more revenue and create jobs for the teeeming youth.

“Our nation produces a world-class cocoa crop but most people rarely have a chance to taste it,” Mr Poku said, noting that such a situation needed to be reversed.

He was speaking to the Daily Graphic after the launch of Niche Chocolate, the company’s brand of chocolate processed at its factory at the Tema Free Zones Enclave.

Most of Ghana’s cocoa crop is exported as beans or semi-finished products, while the majority of chocolate found on local shelves are imported from abroad. COCOBOD, over four years ago, launched a campaign to increase the consumption of locally produced cocoa products and this is what Mr Poku has pledged to help promote.

“Ghana’s per capita chocolate consumption is estimated at just over 0.5kg per annum while Europe’s average is four times greater at more than 2kg. Our number is far too low, so a strategy to change this is needed,” he said.

“Niche’s new chocolate line is a step in the right direction and we believe our chocolate will delight millions while being recognised for its excellence throughout the country,” he added.

Until Niche Cocoa’s entry into the cocoa processing business, only CPC refined chocolate in the country under its Golden Tree brand. As a result, Niche Cocoa’s entry will be a significant addition to the country’s drive to ensure increased local consumption.

Niche Cocoa’s CEO explained that the company’s overall objective was to make quality chocolate broadly available to the people of Ghana.

Based in Tema, Niche Cocoa has expanded its operations to include the production and retail of chocolate in the country and abroad. The company’s brand, Niche Chocolate, which includes milk and dark chocolates, will be launched today, Valentine’s Day.

Mr Poku explained that the decision to enter into the chocolate manufacturing business was in line with its goal of adding value to Ghana’s cocoa, which is the country’s leading cash crop.

After a factory tour, the General Manager of Niche Cocoa, Mr Lloyd Ashiley, said trial runs of the chocolate manufacturing line had been completed and the results found to be optimal. Mr Ashiley explained that Niche Chocolate bars had been specially formulated to provide high quality chocolate at an affordable price.

Niche Cocoa started operations in May 2011 with 100 workers and an installed cocoa processing capacity of 30,000 metric tons (MT) per annum. Six years later the company has doubled its capacity to 60,000 MT per annum. It has also boosted its workforce to 250.

Due to its success in exporting processed cocoa, Niche received the Presidential National Award for Export Achievement. It was adjudged the Exporter of the Year for 2013, 2014, and 2015. Citations that accompanied the three awards said the honour was in recognition of Niche’s contribution to Ghana’s global trade.

Despite receiving significant honours during its brief existence, Niche is not content to rest on its laurels. In addition to chocolate, by year-end 2017 the company also plans to introduce chocolate spreads and instant chocolate drinks onto the domestic market.

“Not only do we want to be Ghana’s premier bean-to-bar producer, we also want to be the best when it comes to bean-to-table,” the CEO explained.

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By: citifmonline.com/Ghana

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Both retailers and chocolate consumers in the metropolis have expressed disappointment at the timing of the shortage.

February 14, every year, Saint Valentine’s Day, has been declared a “national chocolate day” by the Ghana government, to highlight the nutritional benefits of cocoa, an important cash crop, and to encourage people to consume more of cocoa products locally.

Mrs. Philomena Osei, a provisions’ shop owner at Adum, in an interview said, the shortage was going to badly affect her business.

She indicated that, chocolate and other related products including pebbles produced by the CPC tend to be in high demand during the month of February, and that was when they got good sales.

Miss Agatha Agyeiwaa, a vendor at the railway station, described the lack of supply as a huge blow.

The Ashanti Regional Representative of the Company, Mr. Augustine Apom, confirmed that the company’s factory was experiencing some technical challenges, and that had affected the production.

He said it was unfortunate that this should happen at the peak season, when demand for their products is high.

Mr. Apom said the limited stock had already been distributed to the retailers, but admitted this was not enough.

He however gave the assurance that, the company’s engineers were working around the clock to fix the problem and expressed the hope that the situation would improve in the coming days – to address the shortfall.

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Source: GNA

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In a statement issued on Tuesday, the Christian Council stated that most Ghanaians “are losing confidence in themselves and their leaders” due to their “deteriorating living conditions” and the current state of the country’s economy.

The Council believes that this situation is not ideal and has called for all relevant bodies, especially the churches to “actively be seen restoring confidence in their members by echoing their struggles and pains for the needed solution.”

The Christian Council went on to call on the government to put practical measures in place to address the concerns of Ghanaians.

“In these difficult times, we call on government to go beyond just listening to the concerns of Ghanaians, but act on those concerns with lasting solutions.

“At this point, words of assurance from government are not enough, but prompt and timely solutions that will bring relief to Ghanaians are what Ghanaians want to see, feel and experience,” the statement read.

Find the full statement from the Christian Council of Ghana below:

LET’S BUILD PUBLIC CONFIDENCE & ECHO THE CHALLENGES OF OUR PEOPLE

The Christian Council of Ghana is calling on the Government, Religious Leaders, Traditional Authorities and Civil Society Organisations (CSOs) to assiduously work at building public confidence in the people they lead or represent.

We live in times where the standards of living of most Ghanaians are deteriorating. In these very challenging moments where prices of goods and services are sky-rocketing due to the continuous hikes in fuel and utility prices and the depreciation of the Cedi without a commensurate improvement in wages, most Ghanaians are losing confidence in themselves and their leaders.

The recent media reports about people committing suicide – some in churches, and demonstrations by citizens in some parts of the country against the current economic hardships are testament to the fact that, public confidence is fast fading.

The Council is of the opinion that, with the current trend of events, coupled with the fact that most Ghanaians are losing hope, there is an urgent need for our leaders to begin to take concrete steps to restore confidence in the people they represent.

In this vein, as an ecumenical body, we are of the view that, Churches in the country must actively be seen restoring confidence in their members by echoing their struggles and pains for the needed solution.

It is time for Churches to actively show interest in national issues and articulate the concerns of their people and journey with them in finding solutions to the numerous challenges that confronts them.

In as much as it is important to continue to pray for our constituents, communities and country, we must begin to genuinely show concern about their plights, and be committed in helping them find solutions.

Churches must also provide resources and assistance to their members and communities in challenges. They must be willing to support families whose livelihoods are threatened and give hope to the hopeless. If people are looking for hope and support, the Church must be the first point of contact, and do so as Jesus would have done.

The Council is of the view that Churches must not sit on the sidelines and watch its people confront their challenges alone, but feel their hurt and engage in efforts at dealing with their challenges.

In the same vein, we also call on CSOs and Traditional Authorities to also support the people they represent and share in their difficulties.

In these difficult times, we call on Government to go beyond just listening to the concerns of Ghanaians, but act on those concerns with lasting solutions. At this point, words of assurance from Government are not enough, but prompt and timely solutions that will bring relief to Ghanaians are what Ghanaians want to see, feel and experience.

We admonish everyone with 1 Thessalonians 5:14, which reads; “Now we exhort you, brothers and sisters, warn them that are unruly, comfort the fainthearted, support the weak, be patient toward everyone.”

S.G.D

Rev. Dr. Kwabena Opuni-Frimpong
General Secretary

By: Edwin Kwakofi/citifmonline.com/Ghana

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The federation believes Ghana will be at an advantage if it signs the agreement.

President of the federation Anthony Sikpa told Citi Business News ‘government should sign it, it’s not just the trade arrangement that is involved we have among others the developmental, health aspects we are overlooking those ones’.

There has been enormous opposition from labour, civil society and the Christian council against any attempt by Ghana and ECOWAS to sign onto the EPA with the European Union.

There have also been calls by some business associations for government to sign onto the agreement.

The Ghana Export Promotion Authority (GEPA) for example believes Ghana’s goal of boosting the value of non-traditional exports to $5 billion by 2017 will be endangered if the government fails to sign the Economic Partnership Agreement.

While some members of the Association of Ghana Industries (AGI) mostly the tuna, fruit processors and exporters and other companies exporting into the European market, are fully behind the agreement.

Ghana and the EU in 2007 initiated an interim EPA to conform to the world trade organization (WTO) requirements for preferential trade deals between WTO members.

President of the Federation of Association of Ghanaian Exporters Anthony Sikpa tells Citi Business News government must seek markets for local business.

‘This EPA is a trade agreement and its citizens of EU that are pushing their governments to do this and we should also push our governments to look for markets for us so let’s cut out emotions.

They will in turn allow you into their markets but they will not lower their standards for you, so we need to build the capacity of our people so wherever they are, they can compete well’. He said

By:  Vivian Kai Mensah/citifmonline.com/Ghana

Follow @Viviankaimensah

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