GHANA LAUNCHES NATIONAL CHOCOLATE WEEK 2022

The 17^th National Chocolate Week has been successfully launched on the famous Tetteh Quarshie Farm on the serene Akuapem Ridge of the Eastern Region of Ghana, precisely, Akuapem Mampong.

This impressive but brief occasion which was held under the auspices of the Ministry of Tourism, Ghana Tourism Authority, the Ministry of Information and the Ghana Cocoa Board. The theme for this year’s celebration is: “Eat Chocolate, Stay Healthy, Grow Ghana” and the sub-theme: “Our Chocolate our Health, our Wealth”.

During his keynote address, the honorable Minister for Information, Mr. Kojo Oppong Nkrumah said, “the celebration of the National Chocolate Week has contributed to the journey towards the 1 kg per capita in the consumption of cocoa in Ghana”. He added that promoting local processing and consumption of cocoa products will continue to be a priority of the government of Ghana. He, therefore, encouraged local business people to participate in this burgeoning industry and asked Ghanaians to fully participant in this year’s celebration.

Speaking on behalf of the Chief Executive Officer of Ghana Cocoa Board, Mr. Ray Ankrah, the Deputy Chief Executive responsible for Finance and Administration said, “This celebration is quite simply a unique one, it is unique for the following reasons, not only are we here to make fun and merry, but it is also a celebration that combines happiness with strong promotion of good health and wealth creation”.

“Just as gold is a store of wealth, cocoa is a store of health”, he added.

The special Guest of honour, Osabarima Kwame Otu Dartey took the opportunity to express his heartfelt gratitude to the lead organizer of the event, the Ghana Tourism Authority and among other requests, made a positive appeal to the organizers to make Akuapem Mampong, the main Launchpad for all future launches of the National Chocolate Week, considering its unique place in the Chocolate history of Ghana.

During his turn, the Deputy Minister for Tourism and Creative Art, Mr. Mark Okraku Mantey informed the general public that, “The main event will be held on Monday, February 14, 2022 at the Chocolate City, Tetteh Quarshie Roundabout”

Other dignitaries present at the event were the Deputy Minister of Trade, Mr. Herbert Krapah, the Board Chairman of the Ghana Cocoa Board, Mr. Peter Mac Manu, Chief Executive of the Ghana Tourism Authority, Akwasi Agyeman, Mr. Ekow Rhule, representative of the Cocoa Processing Company and Mr. Adjei Bekoe the Vice President of the Cocoa Value Addition and Artisans Association of Ghana, and the general farming public among others. .

This year’s National Chocolate will be hosted in the cities of Accra and Kumasi.

The National Chocolate Week which is celebrated every year in Ghana was first launched in the year 2005 as chocolate day to coincide with the Valentine day celebration which fall on the 14h of February every year to boost the domestic consumption of Chocolate and other cocoa products, by the late Jake Otanka Obetsebi Lamptey . In 2021, Cococbod and the Ghana Tourism Authority took a decision to extend the day’s celebration to a week’s celebration.

Source: ghanachocloatehub.com