The President of the National Association of Ghana Cocoa Marketing Clerks (NAGCMC), Mr Andam Solomon has said, Cocoa Purchasing clerks and marketing officers play a very crucial role in cocoa marketability since they serve as agents between Licensed Buying Companies, government and cocoa farmers but government and COCOBOD ignores them in policies that intend to help the cocoa marketing business.

However, they face challenges such as inadequate logistics, weighing scales, low quality of cocoa beans and poor storage facilities which affect their operations. According to him, they don’t receive monthly salary they only rely on yearly commission base payment from their mother companies. This force some of the clerks to adjust the weighing scale to cheat farmer which is a bad practice he condemns. Therefore they have come together as one body with a common goal to make sure they fight the ill characters among them. Mr Andam made this statement during the launching of the Association at Bogoso in the western region.

The Financial Secretary of the Association, Mr Dadzie John advised the cocoa farmers to remove foreign matter and fragments  such as stones, pods etc in the cocoa after drying them before sending it to shed for weighing, he said the purchasing clerks discover those foreign materials after paying the farmers which contributes to their loses.

Stressing on the payment system, some of the Executive Members of the Association in an interview with Oscar Adawu Dadzie called for the introduction of cashless payment systems for business transactions as their lives are in constant danger of being attacked by armed robbers in the course of their work. Others also said the government should consider insurance and SSNIT for them, as it is planning for farmers

Writer: Kwesi Afful

Twitter: @kwesi_afful1

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Mawerehene of Sefwi Anhwiaso Traditional Council and also the Chief of Sefwi Subri Nkeanta Nana Kofi Affi III who has nominated in Western North Region to represent the entire region in the national best farmer award competition has advised the youth to go into farming because it is profitable and can create more employment.

Nana Affi made the call when the media rash him after he got the nominees to represent the whole Western North Region in the national best farmer competition.

“There is evidence that the age range of people in farming are not the youth. We need to let our youth know that there is dignity in labour and that Agribusiness is a profitable business,” he said.

Nana Kofi Affi III the incoming Ghana national best farmer challenged Ghana government to create the enabling environment for the youth and make agriculture attractive.

He said Ghana has the fastest growing population with more than half comprising the youth.

“The energies of these youth can be channelled into Agribusiness and we can industrialize Agribusiness using the youth who are generally technology savvy than the older generation and thereby change the face of Agribusiness for ever.”

He said Ghana lacks trained man power of agricultural officers. Not many students pursue that course and most who do end up in other sectors of the economy.

Nana Kofi Affi III charged our government lead by Nana Addo Dankwah Akufo-Addo and the government of developing countries to re-orientate their people to move away from the educational system which regarded Agribusiness as menial and not meant educated citizens.

Nana Kofi Affi III advised our government to adopt a hot programme which can get the mind of our youth in Agribusiness. Organized workshops for the upcoming youth in farming in every quarter of the year and also adding all the training students.

Writer: Kwesi Afful

Twitter: @kwesi_afful1

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