Government, through the Ghana Cocoa Board (Cocobod), is converting the Cocobod Scholarships Scheme, which operated at the Senior High School level, into scholarships at the tertiary level.
The decision comes in the wake of the successful implementation of the Free Senior High School programme, which caters for the tuition, feeding, accommodation, books and uniforms - some of which were covered by the scholarship.
Thus, children of cocoa farmers, who previously enjoyed Cocoa Scholarships Scheme, will now enjoy scholarships at the tertiary level, Vice President Mahamudu Bawumia has announced.
Dr Bawumia, who is also Flagbearer of the NPP, made the disclosure on Friday, 8 November, 2024 while speaking at Jacobu in the Amansie Central District of the Ashanti Region during the celebration of this year's Farmers Day.
The Vice President enumerated the many interventions and heavy investment made into the agriculture and fisheries sector over the past 8 years, which has seen Ghana become a country with the third highest food security in Africa.
"Our commitment to the growth of the agriculture sector has been unwavering, with many visible results. For instance, we have implemented the Planting for Food and Jobs programme, which has positively impacted our food security through its multi-faceted approach. 80 Warehouses have been constructed under One District One Warehouse. 400 dams have been constructed under One Village One Dam. 70% of the 169 factories under the One District One Factory programme are for agro-processing.
"This government has raised the price of a bag of cocoa from Ghs475 in 2016 to Ghs3,000, unprecedented in our history. The Cocoa Rehabilitation programme, which saw the cutting down of diseased trees and the replanting of new crops and improved varieties has been very successful. As you know, plantain suckers were also planted for free to provide a livelihood and income to the farmers while the Cocoa grows," he added.
Dr Bawumia commended Ghana's farmers and fishers for their commitment to feeding the nation and providing jobs, saying "without you, we would not be here today.
"I am highly appreciative of all the work you continue to do and under my Government, I will set up District Agric Mechanization Centres to provide the knowledge and equipment to help you do even more for mother Ghana", he pledged.
