Parliament of Ghana today celebrated national chocolate day in view of promoting high intake of Ghanaian chocolate.

In view of the celebration, the member of Parliament for Ofinso, Mr Isaac Yaw Opoku used the opportunity to salute our gallant cocoa farmers and indeed all stakeholders, licensed buying companies, hauliers, agro-input dealers, processors, traders, cocoa value chain actors, policymakers, government officials, non-governmental organizations, foreign partners, and consumers of cocoa who have contributed in diverse ways towards the sustenance of the cocoa industry.

He explained that the celebration will also not be completed if the celebrants are not reminded about the “father of cocoa” in Ghana, Tetteh Quarshie of blessed memory who in 1879 brought cocoa beans from Fernando Po, (now Equatorial Guinea) to Ghana as the theme for this year’s Celebration is “Eat Chocolate, Stay Healthy and Grow Ghana”.

Mr Opoku used the opportunity to advise cocoa farmers not to engage in activities that would not help grow the production of cocoa in the country and came suggested them to say NO to the following:

#Say NO to the destruction of cocoa farms for galamsey activities.

#Say NO to the pollution of our water bodies which serve as sources Of water for irrigation to our cocoa farms and others food stuffs

#Say NO to the use of unapproved fertilizers on Cocoa.

#Say no to unapproved weedecides and pesticides.

#Say NO to the smuggling of cocoa beans from Ghana to other nearby countries.