spot_img

Ghana Expands Scholarships for Cocoa Farmers’ Children to University Level – Bawumia

Published on

spot_img

Ghana’s government is extending its scholarship program for children of cocoa farmers to cover tertiary education, Vice President Dr. Mahamudu Bawumia announced on Friday. The initiative, managed by the Ghana Cocoa Board (Cocobod), will shift from focusing solely on secondary education to supporting students at the university level.

This move follows the implementation of Ghana’s Free Senior High School policy, which provides students with tuition, accommodation, books, and uniforms. Now, with secondary education costs largely covered by the government, the Cocobod Scholarship Scheme will help the children of cocoa farmers pursue higher education, Dr. Bawumia said during the Farmers’ Day celebration in Jacobu, Ashanti Region.

Dr. Bawumia, the ruling New Patriotic Party’s (NPP) candidate for the 2024 presidential election, highlighted the government’s investments in agriculture. Over the past eight years, he noted, Ghana has become the third most food-secure country in Africa, thanks to initiatives such as the Planting for Food and Jobs program.

“We’ve focused on securing food for the nation through programs with real, measurable impact,” he said, citing the construction of 80 warehouses and 400 dams to aid agriculture, as well as the establishment of 169 factories—70% of which focus on agro-processing—under the One District, One Factory initiative.

Additionally, cocoa prices have seen a record increase, with a bag of cocoa rising from GHS 475 in 2016 to GHS 3,000 in 2024. Dr. Bawumia attributed the increase to the government’s Cocoa Rehabilitation Programme, which has improved yields by replacing diseased trees and planting new varieties. He added that plantain suckers were provided to farmers free of charge to support their income during cocoa growth periods.

Dr. Bawumia praised Ghana’s farmers and fishers, acknowledging their role in food security and job creation. He also promised to establish District Agric Mechanization Centres to provide equipment and training to further support agricultural development across the country.

Source:TheDotNews

Latest articles

Nyinahini Chief Demands Prosecution of Soldiers Over Civilian Killing

The Chief of Nyinahini in Ghana’s Ashanti Region has called for the prosecution of...

Malik Basintale: I’ll not renew Zoomlion contract in current form

The Chief Executive Officer of Ghana’s Youth Employment Agency (YEA), Malik Basintale, has announced...

Doctors at TTH resume emergency services following Yaa Naa’s intervention

Emergency services at  Tamale Teaching Hospital (TTH) resumed late Thursday following a direct appeal...

Staff fraud cases in Ghana’s Banks rise 33% in 2024 – BoG

The number of bank employees implicated in fraudulent activities in Ghana rose sharply in...

More like this

Nyinahini Chief Demands Prosecution of Soldiers Over Civilian Killing

The Chief of Nyinahini in Ghana’s Ashanti Region has called for the prosecution of...

Malik Basintale: I’ll not renew Zoomlion contract in current form

The Chief Executive Officer of Ghana’s Youth Employment Agency (YEA), Malik Basintale, has announced...

Doctors at TTH resume emergency services following Yaa Naa’s intervention

Emergency services at  Tamale Teaching Hospital (TTH) resumed late Thursday following a direct appeal...

Discover more from The Dot News

Subscribe now to keep reading and get access to the full archive.

Continue reading