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