Gov't increases cocoa scholarship fund to GH¢2bn

THE Government of Ghana, on Thursday, announced an increase of the Cocoa Scholarship Fund which allows the wards of Cocoa farmers to enjoy free tuition at Second cycle and Tertiary levels from GH¢1.5 billion to GH¢2 billion, beginning next year.
This initiative by the government of Ghana and the COCOBOD is aimed at sustaining the scheme (Cocoa Scholarship Fund), as well as to enable more children of Cocoa farmers to attain greater heights in their educational pursuit.
President John Agyekum Kufuor disclosed this when he officially commissioned the refurbished COCOBOD building in Accra. Addressing the gathering, President Kufuor said his government would continue to pursue measures aimed at eliminating the worst forms of child labour in the Cocoa growing areas of the country where the menace exists.
“COCOBOD will intensify collaboration with stakeholders with the active participation of COCOD field staff in the training and sensitization programmes on child labour. COCOBOD will support Government’s Poverty Reduction Programme, coupled with the Capitation Grant as a means to eliminate child labour”, he noted.
President Kufuor, however, urged Cocoa farmers to continue working hard to lift up the economy in order to attain a middle income status, since cocoa constitutes a greater part of foreign exchange earning to the country.