President John Kufuor

President John Agyekum Kufuor has expressed concern about the increasing rate of child labour in cocoa growing areas in contravention of international conventions and the African Charter on the Rights and Welfare of the Child.

According to President Kufuor, though member countries of the Cocoa Producers' Alliance have ratified the ILO Convention 182 which deals with the worst forms of child labour following the adoption of the 2000 Council Resolution in Brazil, most countries, however, do not adhere to it.

"Unfortunately, it is reported that in some of our countries there is prevalence of Child Labour in the industry. We should appeal among ourselves to take all measures to prevent such unacceptable practices," President Kufuor bemoaned.

President Kufuor stated that Ghana is at the forefront of leading a crusade against the practice, saying "I can say emphatically that we have taken legislative measures to ensure that such practices are eliminated."

He entreated members of the Cocoa Producers' Alliance to forge closer relationships "to impose a regime of verification and stoppage of the phenomenon in every form," which he said might affect international demand for their cocoa.

President JA Kufuor made these suggestions when addressing the 2nd Africa Cocoa Summit being attended by over 17 cocoa growing countries across Africa in Accra yesterday under the theme: Defining a Policy Road-Map towards a Sustainable African Cocoa Economy.

President Kufuor also launched a campaign for value addition and greater consumption of cocoa by member countries saying that "cocoa or chocolate is the world’s best after-meals drink or snack."

According to President Kufuor, cocoa is hyped for its uses in the prevention and treatment of malaria and sickle cell disease, obesity, cancers, alcohol-related liver and gastric damage, dementias and end-stage kidney disease.

He therefore appealed to all the stakeholders in the cocoa industry including traditional authorities, nutritionists, hotel chefs and cooks to develop new recipes and menus to promote cocoa dishes.

Kwadwo Baah-Wiredu, Minister for Finance and Economic Planning stated that cocoa create more incomes to the economies of member countries and therefore necessary to strategize ways of maintaining its high value.

"Cocoa, over the years, continues to generate more and more interesting dividends economically and nutritionally. This we believe we can harness further, to give more impetus to our economies," Mr Baah-Wiredu stressed.

According to him, joint efforts by government agencies and private institutions to fully harness the "golden pod" has seen cocoa dominating on the continent.

Mr Baah-Wiredu hoped that both finished and semi-finished cocoa products from the Region to the international market will be traded free of stringent tariffs.

Africa leads world cocoa production, producing over 76% of total world output. The continent boasts of four of the five top producers in the world namely, Cote d’Ivoire, Ghana, Cameroon and Nigeria.

The 1st Africa Cocoa Summit was held in Abuja after the Former Nigerian President Olusegun Obasanjo mooted the idea for an annual summit of African Cocoa Producing Countries to discuss pertinent issues within the industry.